


Weekend at the Curtis'

by altoinkblots



Series: Hugs Heal the Wounds Tears Leave Behind [5]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amestris' version of Thanksgiving, Asexual Male Character, Bisexual Female Character, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Holidays, No Proofreading We Die Like Men, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, remember this series is slowburn, very very very slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23539960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altoinkblots/pseuds/altoinkblots
Summary: All Souls Feast has arrived, and it's a time for family, new friends, and a complete re-haul of everything Ed thought was true. Holidays are the best, aren't they?
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric & Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Izumi Curtis & Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Izumi Curtis/Sig Curtis, Sig Curtis & Alphonse Elric, Sig Curtis & Edward Elric, Winry Rockbell & Rosé Thomas
Series: Hugs Heal the Wounds Tears Leave Behind [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680922
Comments: 77
Kudos: 41





	1. Sig has a Tiny Car, and it's a Mess

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea how many chapters this will be. I'm two chapters ahead on writing (so it's at least three right now) and a lot's going to happen. Reminder: this is a primarily Ed/Winry series, but other things do happen, and I'm wringing this slowburn for every drop I can get out of it. So enjoy!!
> 
> Also, I experimented with some formatting, so let me know your thoughts on that. Thanks!!

Winry and Ed stood next to each other at the student center, their weekend bags packed and ready to go. Unease settled at the pit of Winry’s stomach; she had agreed to spend All Souls Feast with him and his family once she knew Granny didn’t mind, but the closer it got the more nervous she was. She had talked to Izumi several times over the past couple of weeks, she had talked to Granny to double-and-triple check that it was okay they weren’t spending All Souls Feast together ( _ “Go out with your friend! I’m on call that day anyway,” _ she had sad when Winry called her for the fifth time in a week), and she had been pestering Ed in the days leading up to it. Which led her here, standing in front of the student center next to Ed, waiting for his adopted father to show up.

(“Why do you call them your adopted parents?” she had asked him one time. 

“Because I have two sets of parents and it’s easier to tell them apart,” he had said, which made it feel like there was still something left that he hadn’t said. Which was fine, it was none of her business anyway.)

Ed held his hand up to block the falling snowflakes. “I think I see him,” he said. He glanced over at her, giving her a reassuring smile. She smiled back at him, a buzz coming from her coat pocket. She pulled her phone out, seeing it was a text from Rosé, and smiled down at her screen.  _ Have fun with Ed and Al this weekend!!! I’m going to miss you!!! 💕💕💕 _

Winry pulled her gloves off and typed a response.  _ Thanks. I’ll text when we get there. Have a fun weekend with your family!! _

If Winry was being honest with herself, she almost told Ed that she couldn’t go down to his family’s house. Maybe she was being an idiot, or maybe her small crush on Rosé was getting out of hand, but she was hoping that she would spend some time with Rosé over the weekend. 

_ Get ahold of yourself, Winry. _ Even though they’d been texting more, talking more, and especially after Ed spearheaded making the pies -- which Rosé helped out with -- they had been running into each other on campus a lot more, even sitting down at small little café’s across campus. 

A small, electric car pulled up, and a mountain got out of it. He walked over to engulf Ed in a hug. Once they pulled apart, he held a giant hand out to Wirny. “Sig Curtis,” he said. “I’m Al and Ed’s adopted father.”

“Winry Rockbell,” she said. The handshake was nice; it wasn’t too limp, and her hand thankfully wasn’t crushed.

“Are we picking Al up next?” Ed asked, looking at the car.

Mr. Curtis grabbed Winry and Ed’s bags. “Yes,” he said.

“Do you, uh, think we’ll have room?”

He put the bags in the drawer-like trunk. “Of course we will,” he said. “It’s my car, after all.”

“I can hold my bag if it makes things easier,” Winry offered.

“No need, I’ve got it.”

Winry and Ed exchanged a nervous glance before climbing into the backseat together. Winry’s phone buzzed, with another text from Rosé. Winry snorted as she read it.

“What’s that?” Ed asked, peering over at her phone. She pushed him away, holding the phone close to her chest. 

“None of your business, that’s what.”

“Come on, Winry, you were laughing so it must be good.”

“It is none of your business, Edward Elric.”

He groaned and leaned his head against the headrest. “Fine.”

Mr. Curtis got into the driver’s seat in front of Ed and pushed the seat all the way back. “Do you have enough leg room?” he asked.

Ed’s legs were curled up against his chest, and WInry could see the metal boning of his prosthetic leg peeking out from his pants. “It’s a little tight,” he said.

Mr. Curtis pulled the seat forward a little bit, but it didn’t create any spare room for Ed. “That better?”

“Sure,” he said. He leaned over to Winry and whispered, “It’s a good thing one of my legs is fake otherwise I’d switch places with you.”

“You can if you want to,” she whispered back. “I’m a little shorter.”

“Trust me, that’s not going to help.”

“All right, buckle up,” said Mr. Curtis. “We’re going straight to Al’s dorm.” He drove around the traffic circle and off campus to pick up Al.

“He goes to Woodside, right?” asked Winry.

“Yeah,” said Ed. “It’s the best medical school in the country. They only let a hundred or so undergrads in a year, so Al is really lucky he got in for his freshman year.”

“So he’ll go straight from pre-med to being a doctor in the same place?”

Ed nodded. “And, if everything pans out, his post-grad degree will only take about half of the time because he was accepted in as an undergrad.”

“What is it you’re doing again, Ed?” Mr. Curtis asked. 

“Chemistry,” Ed and Winry said at the same time. “I want to be a high school teacher,” he finished.

“And you, Winry?”

She shared a nervous glance with Ed. At the end of this semester, she would be undeclared and she hated the feeling. “I don’t know yet,” she said. “Still trying to figure some stuff out.”

“Trade school is always an option,” he said. “I worked as a carpenter before I met Izumi, and when we got married we settled down at the butchery.”

“Yeah,” Winry said noncommittally. 

“Do you and Al see each other a lot?”

Winry opened her mouth to speak, but Ed spoke up instead. “No. I’m too busy finishing my degree up, and Al’s been really busy at Woodside. They’ve been piling a lot of stuff on him.”

“He can handle it.”

Ed grinned. “He’s my little brother; of course he can handle it. Managing his money, on the other hand…”

“Izumi’s threatened to make him pay for everything out-of-pocket so he’ll stop spending it.”

“And it’s stupid stuff like foam armor and stuff for cosplay. Like, sure, he loves cosplay, but  _ please _ don’t spend all of your money freshman year on wigs.”

“He mentioned you two went to Fallbridge last month.”

“Yeah, we brought Rosé and Winry along. I think they liked it. Did you?” he asked, turning to Winry.

“Oh, me? Yeah, it was really fun.”

“Good to hear that.”

“Hey, how’s Izumi doing?” Ed asked. “She wouldn’t tell me last time we talked.”

“She’s doing about the same. The day you called was a really bad one, though; I’m surprised she even made it out of bed.”

The pit in Winry’s stomach deepened. She didn’t want to be a burden, especially if Mrs. Curtis wasn’t doing well.

“I hate that I can’t do anything,” Ed muttered. “If she  _ told _ us --”

“She doesn’t want to worry you boys. She’s allowed to worry about you, not the other way around.”

“Sig, you both raised us. We might not have been there the first time she was hospitalized, but we can do something. Al’s going into medicine because of her, damn it!”

“I know, and it kills me to see her like this. Izumi’s of the mindset that if she ignores it, it’ll just go away. She’s a fool, but she’s the strongest fool I know.”

Ed sighed. 

“Anyway,” said Mr. Curtis. “Winry, what do you like to do in your free time?”

Winry glanced over at Ed, who was glaring at something off in the distance. “I, uh… I’ve been getting into knitting. I actually made a sweater for Ed.”

Ed grunted.

“He’s wearing it right now.”

“That’s nice. Anything else?”

Winry shrugged. “That’s about it, really. Besides homework, I don’t do that much.” She didn’t do anything outside of homework. One she had finished Ed’s sweater she just… put her knitting off to the side and hasn’t touched it since. 

The car ride to Woodside passed in silence. Winry looked out the window at the gently falling snow that dusted the streets of Central City. Growing up in southeast Amestris, which got snow once every six years or so, she was shocked to see that Central got so much. She could barely comprehend northern Amestris and how much snow they got.

The little car drove past old buildings and new ones, past people entering and leaving their homes to get ready for All Souls Feast, a holiday where Amestris celebrated the end of a long-ago war by being thankful for family and eating a lot of food. It was one of her favorite holidays growing up. Her dad would make a nice, smoked turkey complete with stuffing and drippings and gravy. Mom’s specialty was the sweet potatoes that she mashed up and cooked in the oven to make it crystalize. Granny did almost everything else, from the cranberry sauce to the rolls. She would always recruit Winry to help her make the pies, and her favorite memories with her grandma involved pie-making. 

Everything was different now. All from a single phone call. Now she wouldn’t go back to Resembool, she wouldn’t see Granny, she wouldn’t eat the turkey her dad had lovingly prepared or her mom’s sweet potatoes and she wouldn’t make pie with Granny. The last time she had even seen her grandmother was at the funeral, all the way back in September. 

She had buried her parents on an overcast day with a threat of rain. It didn’t matter anyway, Winry had cried throughout the whole service; but since then, her tears had dried up. She didn’t have a single one, not anymore. 

The little car turned onto an old, fancy road lined with buildings that screamed private school. They drove up to Al’s dorm -- a building so old it looked like a permanent termite residence -- and Ed got out of the car to bring his brother in. Winry and Mr. Curtis sat in silence for several minutes, until Ed and Al came bounding into the car. Al climbed into the passenger seat, saying hi to Mr. Curtis, while Ed sat facing out.

“What are you doing?” Al asked.

“Taking my leg off,” Ed responded.

“I told you, we can switch seats,” Winry said. 

Ed waved his hand. “Eh, it’s already off.” He put his leg between him and Winry, letting it lean on the seat. His pant leg was rolled all the way up, and for the first time, Winry could see his stump. There was a piece of silicone over it, but her stomach twisted itself into knots anyway. She couldn’t imagine what that must be like, and for him to still be a genuinely good and kind person after everything he had been through… it was a humbling experience.

Ed noticed Winry looking at his stump. “Yeah,” he said, “it’s not the prettiest thing in the world, but it’s kind of fun to move around; it looks super weird. See?” 

He moved his leg around in circles. He was right, it was weird to see the stump moving around like it was a full leg. 

“I actually have a birthmark on my knee,” said Winry. “It looks like an eye, so when I was a kid, I’d move my leg around and pretend that it was an elephant. The birthmark was the eye and the calf was the trunk. I’d do the elephant sounds and everything.”

Ed and Al burst out laughing. “That is so weird,” said Al. “I love it. It’s just the thing a kid would do.”

Mr. Curtis started the car, and Ed closed the door so he could go.

“Do you remember that one time when we were kids and we fought over who would jump into the swimming pool first?”

Al burst out laughing. “I remember that one! The lifeguard yelled at both of us, then all three of us fell into the swimming pool! Oh, and what about the first time we went to a con?”

Winry smiled, tuning them out. She folded her hands on her lap and looked out the window. The second Mr. Curtis merged onto the south highway for Dublith, she pulled out her phone, Ed and Al still talking about whatever caught their attention at that point in time.

Winry opened to her last conversation with Rosé and scrolled all the way to the top. It started out with general pleasantries, but got more personal the further down she scrolled. She scrolled past her telling Rosé about her parents and what exactly had gone down that night with Ed, and Rosé’s long block of text telling her story, filled with past abuse and rehab; things Winry would never have guessed happened to her in a million years. 

_ Listen, if you need an ear or a shoulder to cry on, I’ve got you, _ Winry had sent.

_ The same goes for you too _

**_Thank you_ **

**_That means a lot_ **

_ I’m serious. I know you and Ed are super close, but sometimes you need someone else. He’s a great listener and a great friend, but he’s not Superman, you know??? _

**_I’ve gathered that by now_ **

**_It’s… It’s Hard_ **

**_But it’s also really nice to talk to someone else about it_ **

**_Ed’s a wonderful listener_ **

**_But he’s only one person_ **

_ Well, maybe we can share the burden together, then. _

_ You’re a wonderful listener too, Winry. You know that, right?? _

**_I guess I do now_ **

_ Well it’s true _

**_The same goes for you, Rosé_ **

_ 😊😊😊 _

_ Do you want to hang out sometime tomorrow? _

**_Sure!!_ **

**_Where were you thinking?_ **

Winry smiled as she scrolled through more conversations like that. Rosé was a surprisingly easy person to talk to, and she really liked talking to her, crush or no crush. Maybe it went deeper than a crush. Winry had only ever liked two girls before, and while they were amazing people, Rosé was different. Very different, and in the best ways possible.

Maybe they were dancing around each other, too scared to make the first move. Winry definitely was. She was hesitant -- more than hesitant, if she was being honest -- to take the plunge. Yes, Rosé liked her. She knew that, otherwise she wouldn't have bared her life to Winry, and Winry to her. But did she like her  _ that _ much, and in that way? Maybe it was the gay panic, but it was impossible to tell. 

She looked through the photos they had exchanged, and even a selfie of the two of them Winry had sent her. They were trying hard not to laugh, using the other person’s hair as a mustache. Winry still remembered the feeling of Rosé’s hair on her face, and Rosé’s arm resting behind Winry and the heat slowly creeping up Winry’s neck and face as she looked at Rosé out of the corner of her eye -- happy, laughing, and carefree. How Winry was whenever Rosé was around. How she wanted to be all the time. 

She put her phone away. The little car kept moving south, the snow turning into rain. While Al and Mr. Curtis talked, Ed leaned over to her. “You okay?” he asked.

“Of course I am,” she said with a smile. “Just listening to you guys talk. It’s interesting. Mr. Curtis is a man of few words.”

Ed snorted. “That is true. Izumi did most of the talking when we were growing up. And yelling. There was a lot of yelling.”

Winry nodded. “Thanks, again, for inviting me. I wouldn’t really have anywhere else to go for All Souls Feast this year because my grandma is on call all weekend, so it’d pretty much be me all alone.”

“No problem,” he said. “Glad we could help.”

“Ed?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you ever — this is going to sound stupid — but have you ever felt like you were standing on the edge of a cliff, and you didn’t know where the next step would take you; and you could either take the step off of the cliff or turn around?”

He nodded. “There’s been a couple specific instances where I’ve felt like that.”

“What did you do?”

“Took the plunge. There was only one time when I didn’t and I’ve regretted it ever since.”

Unbidden, hot tears pricked the back of Winry’s eyes, the first since the funeral. She blinked them away, and stared at the back of Al’s head, nodding. 

Something still hung in the air between them, but neither of them wanted to break whatever it was. Even still, Winry’s hand found Ed’s lying on the seat between them, squeezing it.


	2. The Chancellor of the Void Beyond

Sig pulled into the small, familiar driveway, and Ed reluctantly pulled his hand away from Winry’s. Their hands had rested like that for most of the car ride, and he had grown accustomed to her warmth. Winry had the tendency to run a little cold, but this time her hands were warm. Warm and full of life. 

The car turned off and Al jumped out and grabbed the bags from the too-small trunk. Sig got out and blessedly pulled the seat forward to give Ed’s remaining leg room to stretch. 

“How’s the leg?” Winry asked.

Ed grimaced and grabbed his prosthetic. “Feels like my muscles turned to jelly.

Winry smiled, covering most of it with her hand. She got out of the car, walked over to his side, and opened the door. Ed shifted so his legs were poking out of the car. “Do you want to put the leg on first or hobble inside?”

“Probably put the leg on. I left my crutches in my dorm, knowing that Sig’d drive this tiny monstrosity.”

“Why does he have this car anyway? He looks like he’d crush the door with a single poke.”

Ed grinned as he pushed the air out of his silicone sleeve. “It is pretty comical, I’d have to admit.” He put the leg on and stood up, putting weight on it to get all of the air out. He closed the door behind him and started limping to the door. Winry walked on the side of his prosthetic, holding her hand out if he needed to steady himself on it. “I’ve got it,” he said. 

They walked up to the front door and he pushed it open. Al was sitting on the stairs holding at least three cats and Izumi stood to envelop Ed in a hug. He stepped inside, smiling, and hugged her. “It’s good to see you,” she said, pulling away and holding him at arm’s length. “Your hair’s gotten longer.”

Ed flicked his bangs behind his ears. “Yeah, and I’m not cutting it.” He turned to Winry. “Winry, this is my adopted mom, Izumi Curtis; Izumi, this is Winry Rockbell.”

Izumi and Winry exchanged a friendly handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Curtis,” Winry said. One of the cats meowed and pulled away from Al, wrapping around Winry’s legs.

“Carol, you bloody traitor,” Al muttered.

“Please call me Izumi,” she said. “Everyone else does. ‘Mrs. Curtis’ makes me sound like my mother-in-law.”

“Okay, but Grandma Lee is amazing,” said Al.

“And about a thousand years old,” said Izumi. “I seriously doubt I’ll get to her age at any rate.”

“Don’t say things like that,” Sig said, putting a giant hand on Izumi’s shoulder. “You’ll outlive all of us.”

Izumi turned to caress her husband’s face as she stood on her tip-toes. “You are the most sweetest, kindest, most loving husband I could ever hope for, but we both know that’s a damn lie.”

“And you’re the strongest and most fierce woman I ever laid eyes on. I was in love with you from the second you dropped that bear.”

Winry poked Ed in the shoulder. “Are they always like this?” she whispered. 

Carol yowled to be picked up. Ed ignored her. “They’re worse around guests,” he said, “but this happens on pretty much a daily occurrence.”

Al started making bird-like noises with his mouth to get Carol to go over there. 

“It’s a hopeless cause, brother,” Ed said. “Carol’s found her new true love.”

“At least Lord Chancellor of the Void Beyond still loves me.”

“Fat chance.”

“I think you mean Fatty Arbuckle.”

Winry picked Carol up, and the siamese immediately started purring and nuzzling into Winry’s armpit. “How many cats do you have?”

“Four,” said Al. “I got the Chancellor as a birthday present when I turned eighteen.”

“He’s a complete bastard,” said Ed.

“That’s why Ed named him what he did.”

Winry raised her eyebrows. “ _ You _ gave that cat that poor name?”

“He has no sense of style,” Al said with a glint in his eye. A fat, fluffy cat started climbing onto his head.

“I have  _ plenty _ of style!”

Izumi and Sig took a break in their flirting for Izumi to say, “Why don’t you boys show Winry around and take her bags to the guest room?”

“I assume Ed and I are sharing?” Al asked, but their adoptive parents paid them no mind. “I’m sorry,” Al whispered to the cats as he stood up. “Fatty Arbuckle, you have to get off of my head, please.” The cat jumped onto the stairs and made his way to his litter box.

Ed picked up his and Winry’s bags and followed Al up the stairs. “It’s kind of a small house with thin walls,” he said, “and the butcher shop is about a third of it. This is one of the busiest times of the year, so Al and I will be roped into helping out back there.”

“I can help too,” said Winry, following him and Al into a room. Ed put her bag on the bed and gestured at the mostly-empty room. 

“You’re a guest; Izumi’d kill us if you set foot in there. This is my old room by the way, but when I moved out they converted it into a guest room because, and I quote: ‘We’re not having a shrine to you,’” he said. 

Winry looked around the room and nodded. Ed grabbed her hand -- why did he have the need to keep holding her hand? -- and lead her out to the small hallway. “Bathroom here, Al’s room here -”

“Looks like the cats took it over,” Al said, poking his head in. 

Ed shrugged. “Cats are cats. If you’re lucky you’ll run into the Chancellor --”

“Lord Chancellor of the Void Beyond, brother; if you’re going to give cats utterly ridiculous names like that you had better use them --”

“He’s a sphynx cat and if you don’t lock the door at night you will wake up with his butt in your face.”

“And Marigold is the orange tabby that pretty much lives in the garage --”

“She got her name because she eats marigolds and throws them up on the carpet --”

“So she’s not allowed in the house during the summer.”

“Anyway, that’s the room me and Al’ll be sharing. Directly to your left is the master bedroom and yes, all of us have to share the bathroom.”

“There is a powder room downstairs you can claim,” said Al. “But this is the only shower in the entire house.”

Winry scratched behind Carol’s ears, holding onto the cat and scratching her ear at the same time. Ed still held her hand. “I like it,” she said, looking around. “It reminds me of my grandma’s house.”

“Good to know,” said Al, “because it can get really cramped in the morning.”

They walked down the stairs, Ed almost tripping over Fatty Arbuckle, and led Winry through the rest of the house. 

“The living room leads into the dining room, which leads into the kitchen, which leads into the office,” Al said. “It’s pretty much a place to put the desktop and reading chair. The back door right there leads to the butcher shop, and there’s a little yard in the back. Anything I missed?”

“The sketchy basement you were scared of when we first moved here?”

Al leveled a glare at him. “Thanks, brother, for reminding me.”

Ed grinned. “You’re welcome.”

Carol jumped down from Winry’s arms to go and torment someone.Al reached to pick her up, but the siamese easily lunged out of the way. His little brother sighed. “Do you want to see the basement, Winry?”

She shrugged. “I don’t really care either way.”

“Why don’t we grab some food?” asked Ed. “It’s, what, one in the afternoon?”

Al put his hands on his hips. “Sounds good to me. Hey, Izumi!” he yelled out.

“Alphonse, if you want to talk to me don’t yell across the house!” Izumi yelled.

Al rolled his eyes and poked his head into the living room. “We haven’t had lunch. Do you have food?”

Izumi emerged behind Al and went to the kitchen, pulling Tupperware boxes out of the fridge. “Eat whatever you want,” she said. “I need room in this fridge for All Souls leftovers.”

“Thanks, Izumi,” said Ed, letting go of Winry’s hand to hug her. 

She rolled her eyes. “Just don’t eat me out of house and home.”

“Uh-huh. We’ll do just that.”

Izumi swatted him away, but smiled anyway. “Let me know if you guys need anything. Especially you, Winry.”

Winry shook her head. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Nonsense.  _ You _ are more than welcome to eat me out of house and home. Just don’t tell these losers.”

Winry smiled. “Maybe later. But thank you.”

Izumi smiled softly. “You are very welcome, Winry.”

Winry moved out of the way to let Izumi pass, and Ed watched her go up the stairs. “It’s one of her good days, I think,” he mused.

“Yeah, or she’s putting on a show.”

Ed pursed his lips. Izumi hated showing anything other than strength and perfection. He didn’t even know what she was sick with, except that it predated him and Al moving in with them.

Winry stepped into the kitchen, and after Ed showed her where the various dishes were, she shoveled a little bit of food onto a plate, heating it in the microwave. “I had a big breakfast,” she explained. 

“Okay,” said Ed.

The microwave beeped, and Al replaced Winry’s plate of food with his own. Ed grabbed some bread, lunch meat, cheese, and a couple of tomato slices and sat down across from Winry at the dining room table, putting his sandwich together. “First impressions?” he asked.

Winry took a bite of her food. “They’re very lovely people, but I have to say the cats are the best part so far.”

Ed rolled his eyes. “You and Al both. Besides the cats.”

Winry narrowed her eyes at him. “You like them,” she said. “Admit it. You’re a closeted cat person.”

“I haven’t been in the closet for four years. About anything.”

Winry pointed her fork at him. “That is a lie and you know it.”

Ed’s stomach dropped. 

“You love cats. I can see it in your eyes.”

Al sat down next to Winry. “He does. I have a picture of him snuggling with Marigold from last time he was here.”

Ed glared at his brother. “I have never, and never will, snuggle with demonspawn.”

Al pulled out his phone. “See? It’s even my background.”

“Awww,” Winry said, taking Al’s phone from him. “He’s even doing the stomach thing!”

“What stomach thing?” Ed asked, reaching out for Al’s phone.

Winry held it out of reach, and Al slapped his forearm. “He does that all the time,” Al said with a grin. “Sig has a folder of pictures just like that.”

Winry raised her eyebrows. “Think he’ll let me take a peek?”

A looked at Ed, his eyebrows raised. “I dunno,” he said. “He says he’s waiting for a special occasion.” Al’s grin spread across his face, taunting Ed.

Ed’s cheeks flushed. He finished his sandwich in three bites and got up from the table, mumbling some excuse. Al and Winry laughed.

Ed stalked up to the room he was sharing with Al and flopped down on the bottom bunk. The Chancellor sauntered in and jumped on top of him, curling up on his stomach. Ed put his hand on the cat’s hairless black form. “If anyone sees us here, I’m throwing you under the bus,” he said. 

The Chancellor blinked slowly. Ed blinked back.

The door to his old room closed, and Ed sat up. Was Winry doing something?

He knew he shouldn’t but the urge to go over to the abnormally thin walls in between their rooms was too strong. He gingerly moved Lord Chancellor of the Void Beyond to the top bunk, and pressed his ear against the wall. He couldn’t hear anything.

_ Serves you right for being a creep. _

He pushed off of the wall when he heard Winy’s voice and someone else’s from the other side of the wall. He couldn’t make out the words, but it sounded a lot like Rosé. 

Did Winry have plans with Rosé that he had burst because he invited her? He knew of her trepidation, coming to All Souls Feast with his family, but she had said she didn’t have any other plans. Was that a lie to make him feel better?

No. Winry wouldn’t do that. She wasn’t a liar, and she never did anything because of pity. Ed walked to the bathroom, untying his ponytail and letting his blond hair fall around his shoulders. Yes, he had been excited to ask Winry, but it was  _ Winry. _ She always made him excited; she was funny and kind and brilliant, and Ed hadn’t forgotten how well she brought him out of his panic attack; the last person to successfully do that had been Izumi, and Ed loved her more than anything. 

He closed the bathroom door behind him and flicked the light on. His own face stared back at him from the mirror.

He had seen her at her lowest point, and when they had met she offered him, a stranger, a hug because she thought it would make him feel better.  _ Hugs heal the wounds tears leave behind, _ she had said. They did, and he’d seen it time and time again. Always with Winry. 

She wasn’t perfect, far from it. She was human; beautifully, wonderfully human. But she broke down his walls almost without him knowing, he had opened things up to her not even Al knew. She had healed wounds he didn’t even know he had, and she was so perfectly  _ her _ that was it any wonder he was in love with her?

Wait.

No. 

He wasn’t in love. He couldn’t be in love. He had gone through puberty and high school without a single crush, not a single instance of being attracted in any way, shape, or form to  _ anyone _ . The last time confused feelings took over, it was when he realized he wanted to befriend someone that ended up not working out. Maybe this was that. Maybe he just wanted a deeper friendship with Winry. 

His gut shook its head.

Ed gripped the bathroom counter. Was this…? Was he…? Was it possible that, after struggling and questioning for three years and realizing that he was aroace, he wasn’t? After coming to grips that he could never fall in love how everyone else saw it, that he was different and that he was finally okay with it, could he be in love with Winry? Star-crossed, kisses under the moonlight, holding hands for the rest of time as they rocked back and forth as an old married couple watching the neighborhood kids run?

A warmth bloomed deep in his chest, and it terrified him. He wasn’t equipped for this. He had no prior experience for this. He didn’t… He wasn’t…

But when he stopped for a moment, whenever he took a second to breathe, he thought of Winry. She had changed so much about him, and she had no idea. It was because of her he had started developing a friendship with Ling and by extension, Lan Fan. It was because of her he was more open, more giving. Before Winry, he wouldn’t be caught dead hugging someone out of nowhere. But now, hugs were nothing. Everyday occurrences that he was sure he couldn’t live without. 

He could categorize his life into two sections: Before Winry, and After Winry. He was happier now; a genuine happiness that carried over into everything he did. It wasn’t just because they were good friends, it was because from the second she walked into his life she had been a ray of light, bringing her light and life into his deepest corners and he wouldn’t have it any other way. She was a beacon of hope, and life, and all things good that Ed wanted to be. 

He looked into the mirror. He was terrified. Terrified that something would go wrong, terrified of what it meant for him, terrified of what it meant for her. 

Was it romantic love? He would probably never know. What he did know, however, was that he couldn’t imagine life without her, and from now on he wanted to see her on every step of her life. The joys, the pains, the sorrows, the laughter, the crying, the hugs. He wanted to be there for all of it, all of her. 

The warmth spread to his fingers and toes, and he put his head on the cold, metal faucet. He was screwed. Winry had him completely in the palm of her hand, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’d give his soul to her if she asked.

That, and he really needed a hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed!!


	3. An Old Soul, a Heart of Gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't do chapter titles that are cohesive, Apologies. 
> 
> (title comes from "a dangerous collection" by nikita gill)

Sandwiched between Mr. Curtis and two of the cats on a long bench, Winry poked at her food. The conversation around her was lively, but she wasn’t feeling it. That, and while the food was good, it tasted like it had been heated and reheated several times, so it was a little dry. 

“… was when her cat started biting my finger, except my hand was covered in three layers of glue, so I didn’t feel a thing!” Al said. Winry smiled as the rest of the table burst out into laughter. Winry looked around. Ed wasn’t laughing either, but he had a giant grin splitting his face. He caught Winry’s glance and looked down at his food, his smile softening. 

“Explain the glue again, Al?” asked Mr. Curtis.

Al waved his hand around. “Eh, we were just being stupid. Like, how in elementary school you’d cover your hand in glue, watch it dry, then peel it off? It was like that, but extreme.”

“Sounds like college all right,” said Izumi. She turned her attention to Winry. “So, I heard how you and Ed met from his point of view, but I want to hear yours.”

Winry shrugged. “There’s not much to tell. I ran into him, we started talking, and the rest is history.”

“Okay, but you completely left out the part where I was a complete wreck after finishing  _ Circle and Rise,” _ Ed reminded her. 

“You finished that?” Al cried. “How was it?”

“Devastating. I was sobbing in the middle of an empty lecture hall.”

That made everyone laugh, including Winry. “I wouldn’t say ‘sobbing,’” she said, “but tears were involved.”

Al shoved his elbow into Ed’s side. “Quit embellishing stories!”

“Oh, like you’re such a saint! Who brings their cat to a lab?”

“I never said it was a  _ lab, _ I said we were in the same space --”

“You did say lab,” said Mr. Curtis. 

Al rolled his eyes. “I didn’t but whatever.”

Izumi took a sip of her water. “How was Fallbridge? You never really said how it was.”

Al’s face lit up. “It was  _ so _ much fun! We got introduced to the King of Xerxes plotline pretty early on, so we followed that one. But there is so much to do there, we couldn’t get to everything.”

Winry nodded. “Ed and Al even tried out their fencing.”

Izumi raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And who won?”

“Al did, of course,” said Ed with a roll of his eyes. “He always wins our fights.”

“Not all of them, brother; there was that one after you broke your hand --”

“Which time?”

“And we had an argument, and we fought it out on the roof of the hospital. Remember? I think I was fourteen at the time.”

Ed scratched his jaw. “Yeah, I think I remember that one. But one fight, out of countless others we’ve had, barely counts.”

Al raised a finger into the air. “It was a fight, so it counts.”

Ed pointedly turned away from Al and back at Izumi. “Yeah, so, at Fallbridge we ended up splitting into groups, and Winry and I ran into this alchemist person. It was an interesting conversation, even though one of the chemical formulas was balanced wrong.”

“Yeah,” said Winry. “That was an interesting conversation. It was also super weird how similar Ed and the actor looked. Same eyes and everything.”

“A lot of the actors were wearing gold-colored contacts,” said Al.

“And we know we’re at least part Xerxian,” said Ed. “Our features show up in historical Xerxes findings all the time.”

“And most of the people didn’t have the typical golden hair that the ancient Xerxians had that we do..”

“How closely related to those ancient Xerxians are you guys?” asked Winry.

The two brothers looked at each other, then shrugged in unison. “Our mom wasn’t,” said Al. “So we’ve assumed it comes from our dad’s side of the family.”

“Yeah,” Ed spat. “The ultimate dominant genes.”

Izumi sighed and set her cup of water down. “This reminds me of something that I need to tell you boys.”

“Should I leave?” asked Winry.

“You can stay,” said Ed. “She can stay, right?” he asked Izumi.

Izumi looked over at Winry. “You are welcome to stay, but you don’t have to.”

Winry folded her hands in her lap and wrung them together. Something about Izumi’s tone told her it was for her family only, but Winry was too curious to leave; that, and something told her she needed to stay. She nodded once, and Izumi continued. 

“I received an email through the adoption agency we adopted you boys with. It was from a man who claimed to be your father. Now that you both are over eighteen, he wants to meet you.”

“What was his name?” asked Al.

“Van Hohenheim.”

Ed abruptly stood up, pushing his chair away from the table with a harsh screech, his hands curled into white-knuckled fists. He shook with what Winry could only assume was pure anger. “After what that bastard did, he wants to  _ meet _ us? Izumi, tell that… that  _ bastard _ to piss off.” He stomped out of the dining room.

“Ed…” Izumi tried to say, reaching out for him, but he brushed past her. His footsteps could be heard on the stairs, along with a resounding bang as he slammed a door. Izumi sighed. Mr. Curtis rubbed his temples, and Al just looked down at his hands, sad.

“I’ll think about it,” he said, “and I’ll let you know. Thanks for letting us know, Izumi. Even if Ed won’t… I think I might want to try. Just to ask him why.”

“You don’t have to decide right now,” said Mr. Curtis, reaching across the table for Al. “Think about it, and when you’ve come to a decision, let us know.”

“And you don’t have to do it alone,” Winry said softly.

Al smiled at her. “Thanks, Winry. I’m really glad Ed met you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“We’re all here for you,” said Mr. Curtis. “For you both.”

Al sighed. “I think I’d better go talk to him.” He pushed away from the table and went after his brother. 

Izumi turned to Winry. “How much do you know about Al and Ed’s father?”

Winry shook her head. “Not much. Only that he left them before their mom died.”

Izumi nodded, her eyes unfocused. “Those boys have been through hell and back,” she mused. “And now this. Winry, before we go any further, I have to say that Ed told me about your parents. In complete confidence, of course, and I haven’t told anyone, other than Sig. I don’t believe he meant any harm with it, but --”

Winry held up her hand. “If Ed told you, that means he trusts you,” she said. “And I trust Ed’s judgement with people. I wish he had said something, but I don’t fault him for anything.”

Izumi nodded. “It was when he got my apple pie recipe.”

“You didn’t hear this from us,” said Mr. Curtis, “but you mean a lot to him.”

Winry nodded. “I know.”

“And Al can only do so much,” said Izumi. “They’re brothers, and that comes with baggage.” As if to illustrate her point, shouting voices filtered down through the house. “See?

“Different people in our lives bring something new out of us. Before I met Sig, I was a completely different person, and he changed me for the better. The same thing happened when we adopted those boys. You learn to love in ways you never imagined possible, and you become someone completely different because of how your life was touched. I’ve seen it time and time again. With, Ed, with Al, with myself, with Sig.”

“And me,” Winry whispered, tears threatening to escape. What was up today? Twice she’s had to blink tears back, after months of nothing.

The door slammed again, and Al stomped down the stairs, grabbed his coat, saying “I need some air,” before roughly closing the front door behind him.

Winry pushed her plate away. “I’ll see if he’s okay.”

“I wouldn’t,” said Mr. Curtis. “Give him some air.”

Winry smiled. “Thanks for the advice, Mr. Curtis, but I think Ed needs a hug. Thank you for dinner.” She stood up, took her plate to the sink and put it in after scraping her uneaten food into the garbage. She walked up the stairs and to the room that Ed and Al were sharing.

Nothing. The room was completely silent. 

Slowly, Winry pushed the door open. Ed sat on the bottom bunk, the lights completely off, with his prosthetic leg laying on the ground across the room, with his head buried in his hands. She knocked softly, standing in the doorway. He immediately looked up, then sighed. “Let me guess. You’re here to tell me I need to forgive him, right?”

Winry shook her head, treading carefully until she knelt next to him, slouching so her head wouldn’t hit the top bunk. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened, but he soon enveloped her in a hug. Just like with his panic attack, he buried his face in her neck and her hand went to the back of his, his hair surrounding her fingers. 

“I’m okay,” he said, his voice muffled by her shoulder. “I’m not going to spiral or anything.”

“Lay down,” said Winry.

“What?”

“Trust me.”

Ed lay back onto the pillow. Winry stood up to close the door, then crawled next to him. She motioned for him to lay on his side, and when he did, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Again, he stiffened, but he soon relaxed. He pulled his hair out of Winry’s face, and settled into her embrace. He was taller than her, so it was a little awkward settling into a comfortable position, but when they did, Winry almost fell asleep. Ed smelled really nice, like cinnamon and pine. Winry found herself smiling whenever she caught a particularly strong whiff.

Ed turned around and wrapped his arm around her, the other resting in between them. She rested her chin on the top of his head, one of her arms going under his, the other resting under his head, her fingers buried in his blond hair.

“I don’t really want to be alone right now,” he mumbled. 

“Me neither,” she said, her fingers absentmindedly brushing through his hair. Their legs tangled together, his stump a comforting weight on top of her thigh.

“Ed?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for being my friend.”

“I’d do anything for you, Winry,” he breathed. His fingers twitched, and Winry smiled. Yes, she was here for him. But he was her best friend, she could say that without a doubt. Besides, hugs went both ways.

“And I for you.”

Eventually, her breathing leveled out. For the first time in months, she fell asleep with a smile on her face and a warmth in her chest that hadn’t been there since her parents had died.

* * *

Al closed the door softly behind him. After a shouting match with Ed, walks were always a good idea. Get into the Dublith air -- which was a lot cleaner than Central’s -- and wander around the neighborhood for a bit. He had wandered by one of his old haunts, the Devil’s Nest, and eventually made his way back home. Sig was waiting up for him, reading a book in the living room. 

“Sorry,” said Al as he closed the door softly behind him. He looked at the clock; it was nearly midnight. “Lost track of time.”

Sig put a bookmark in his book and stood up. “Just please take your phone next time,” he said. “Izumi was worried.”

Al put his hands in his pockets sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Sig nodded. 

“I gave it some thought, and I want to meet him,” said Al. “My father. In a controlled setting, with you and Izumi there. Somewhere public where I can leave if it gets to be too much.”

Sig put a giant hand on his shoulder. “That sounds like a good idea. Get some rest; tomorrow I need your help in the shop and we’re cooking for All Souls then too.”

“Will do.”

The two of them walked up the stairs together, Al a little ahead of Sig. They bid each other good night in the hallway, Sig going into the master bedroom and Al slipping into his room, not wanting to disturb Ed. He closed the door softly behind him, and immediately froze.

Winry and Ed were completely tangled up together, Ed snoring with Winry drooling a little on the top of his head. Their clothes from earlier were still on, and they were on top of the blankets, but Al couldn’t help but grin. So his suspicions were correct. He took his phone out, and after a few minutes of trying to get the perfect angle, took a picture of them. It was perfectly level, mostly getting their upper bodies, and the flash thankfully didn’t go off.

Al grabbed his pajamas and left the room, leaving the door open just a crack. He changed into his pajamas and got into bed, grinning. He’d text the picture to Sig sometime later, but for now, he couldn’t  _ wait _ to hang this over their heads in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment/kudos if you liked it, comments feed me. Thanks for reading!!


	4. Cinnamon and Pine

Winry closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the bed, her mind racing. Izumi was downstairs getting ready for All Souls Feast tomorrow (which Winry would help out… eventually), and Mr. Curtis was in the butcher shop with Ed and Al. 

Ed. She had  _ no idea _ what had possessed her to fall asleep next to him the night before. Thankfully, he was gone when she woke up, but he left a lot of confused feelings in his wake. The most prevalent being: what the hell?

Winy pulled out her phone. Usually she’d call Ed in a situation like this, but it was  _ because _ of Ed she was calling.

Rosé. She would call Rosé. 

She put her phone on speaker, turning the volume down low, and lay on her side. Her hair was still a mess, but she didn’t care. 

Rosé picked up on the third ring.  _ “Hello?” _

“Hi,” Winry breathed. Just hearing Rosé’s voice calmed her down some. “You busy?”

_ “I can stop being busy, if that’s what you need.” _

“That would be great, actually.”

A couple of moments passed until Rosé spoke again.  _ “Okay, I’m in a private area. Is everything okay?” _

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” She bit her lip. “Actually, no. Something happened last night with Ed and Al. I went to give Ed a hug, see if he was all right, and we… fell asleep.”

_ “Okay.” _

“Actually, do you mind if I vent for a bit?”

_ “Go right ahead, Winry. I’m all ears.” _

Winry smiled. Rosé really was a nice person. 

“Okay, well, Ed’s my best friend, right? Like, you know this. Everyone knows this. And… I just felt weird coming here to his family’s house for All Souls Feast. And then the  _ thing _ happened, and… It was nice? Like, sure, Ed’s an attractive person, but we don’t have that kind of relationship. And I hate putting labels on relationships, but we just  _ don’t. _

“And there was this weird vibe, right? Like I went to hug him, and it was almost like he flinched. That’s never happened.

“I dunno. Maybe I’m really high on emotions right now. It’s All Souls Feast tomorrow, and I really miss my mom and dad, and I won’t get to see my grandma this year; and I’m super happy to be down here with the Curtis’, they’re wonderful people, but I’m confused and there are a lot of emotions going on right now, and…”  _ I called you because you’re cute and I really like you. _ “Yeah.”

_ “Well, I’m not going to pretend to know how you’re feeling right now,” _ said Rosé,  _ “but I get it. Sort of. Not really, now that I’m actually thinking about it. But I’ll try to offer advice and hope it sticks? I’m just spitting out random words right now, I have no idea what I’m saying.” _

“No, it helps,” said Winry. “Hearing your voice. It helps, I guess? Like, it’s grounding. Your voice is grounding, is what I mean.”

_ “I’ve never heard that one before.” _

“Oh.”

_ “In a good way. My girlfriend in -- high school, I think it was? -- described it as ‘light’ and ‘flighty.’” _ She sighed.  _ “Yeah, she was weird.” _

Winry snorted. “Sounds like it.”

_ “Anyway, we should talk later, right? I don’t want to drag you away from plans.” _

“No, you’re not dragging me away from anything. And… I like talking to you.”

_ “Well, what do you want to talk about?” _

“That’s the thing. I have no idea.”

_ “Do you mind if I talked for a bit?” _

“Of course, go ahead. This isn’t a monopolized conversation.”

Rosé laughed.  _ “Thanks, that makes me feel better. Actually, I was going to text you this anyway. There’s a guy at my church who makes prosthetic limbs for animals. He brought his dog to this thing we did yesterday, and the entire time I was thinking, ‘Winry would love this.’ I got talking to him, and I got his email, so if you want to reach out I can get you two in contact with each other.” _

“Really? That sounds great.” Winry had looked into prosthetics before she settled into mechanical engineering, and it didn’t have the same allure mechanical engineering had at the time. Maybe, now that her life was upside down, she could look into it again. “Did he do prosthetics for humans, or just animals?”

_ “Just animals. He was saying that, because so many animals lose limbs and there’s not a lot of help for them if they do, he wanted to do something to make their lives better.” _

“Yeah, text me his info.”

_ “Anyway, I have to get going. Sorry,” _ she apologized. 

“Don’t worry about it. I should help Izumi out anyway.”

_ “Oh, how is she doing?” _

Winry shrugged. “Good? I don’t know what she’s dealing with, so I can’t really say --”

_ “Has she passed out while you’re there?” _

“What? No.”

_ “That’s good to hear. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” _

“Okay,” said Winry, a pit settling deep in her stomach. She would like to keep talking to Rosé, but they both had places to be. “Talk to you later.”

_ “Bye, Winry.” _

“Bye.”

Rosé ended the call. Winry rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Talking to Rosé did not help the confused fog in her brain and in her chest.

She stood up, grabbed a change of clothes and her toiletries, and went into the bathroom. It took a little bit to figure out where the towels were and how to work the shower; but once she did, she was stepping into the steady stream of warm water. It washed down her hair and into her eyes. A little bit of water pooled around her feet before sliding down the drain. 

She stood there, letting the water run completely over her. Droplets dripped down her bangs and onto her face, and her hair was weighed down by all of the water running through it, but it was nice. Soothing. Almost like the time Ed held onto her as she broke down in the parking lot of the Warehouse. 

_ Stop it. Don’t think about that right now. _

She reached for her shampoo bottle and put a dollop of it in her palm. She massaged it into her roots, the soapy suds falling around her fingers and down her hair. She had to lean her head back to keep the shampoo out of her eyes. When she was done, she kept her head there, letting her heavy hair keep her head back. 

It really wasn’t fair. Ed had an entire support system around him; from his brother, to Izumi and Mr. Curtis, his roommate Ling, Rosé, even his birth father wanted to reach out to him. Winry had no one, not really. Both of her parents were only children, her grandma was an old woman and hundreds of miles away. Not even her dog was there for her. What she wouldn’t give to see Den right about now. 

That wasn’t exactly true. She had Ed after all. Sure, she had been his support more lately, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t hers. The memories of his voice over the phone, how he held her close in that parking lot, and the glint in his eyes as he told her about ice cream and fries had gotten her through a lot of lonely and dark thoughts. 

Her ears popped under the pressure of the water.

What she wouldn’t give for one of his hugs right now. To just curl up, with her head resting on his shoulder, both of his arms wrapped around her where she could just… let go. Breathe.

It was funny, but lately the only place she didn’t feel completely empty was in Ed’s arms. There was always that sense of being a ghost in an empty shell, but Ed radiated heat. Sometimes, his warmth filled some of her cracks.

Blindly, she reached for a bottle of conditioner and squirted a generous amount onto her hands. She put it on her hair, combing it through, and even flipping her hair upside down to make sure it got everywhere.

A soft hint of cinnamon and fresh pine filled her nose. She sniffed her hair and groaned. It definitely wasn’t her conditioner, that was sure. It also smelled like Ed, except this was stronger. 

She turned to face the stream of water and put her face directly into it. She imagined tears running down her cheeks. Down from her eyes, onto her neck, down, down, down until they reached the bathtub floor. She let herself imagine for a moment that she was bathing in tears.

The smell of Ed’s conditioner filled her like one of his hugs. She smiled. Maybe, just for Ed, she could try to not be a ghost. It wasn’t hard. Sometimes, she felt like he was the only one who truly saw her, cracks and all. 

She grabbed her bar of soap, smelling it to make sure it was hers, and rubbed it on her arms.

It was almost impossible to keep Ed out of her thoughts, now that all she could smell was him. Cinnamon and pine. She wondered if she had a specific scent that was just her, and if Ed knew it. 

Why would he care, anyway? It wasn’t like anything could ever happen between them, and they were friends, nothing more. Good friends. Best friends. Who fell asleep next to each other, holding each other all night long. Who made pies for the other person. Who went to McDonalds at three in the morning after bearing part of their souls to each other.

Winry put the bar of soap down and put her hair back under the stream of water. No. She wouldn’t let her mind wander down that particular path. They were friends, and he was both ace and aro. Nothing could ever come of it, and nothing ever would. So she should just shut up and move on with her life. 

Except her mind didn’t want to. Or maybe her heart, or maybe  _ her _ . Possibly all three.

As she washed the conditioner out, she let her mind wander.  _ Just this once _ , she told herself.  _ You can do this one time, then you have to forget about it. Just let him be your comfortable friend.  _ Please.

Winry closed her eyes. Only one image came up from her jumble of thoughts. 

She could feel the heat of the sun, the green grass itching under her legs and hands as she leaned back, putting her weight on the heels of her hands. Ed sat down next to her, putting almost all of his weight on her, making her fall over. They laughed, Winry squinting to see his face. The sun was perfectly around him like a halo, his stupid antenna sticking out as he grinned at her. Their fingers interlaced together, and --

A sharp knock came at the door. “Hello?” someone called out, and Winry froze.  _ Ed _ . He was  _ right there _ . Just outside the bathroom door.

“I’ll be out in a second!” Winry called out. She reached out, her hand shaking, and turned the water off. 

“Winry!” he said through the door. “I thought you were Al, or something. Sorry for bothering you.”

Winry stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around her. “No, it’s fine,” she said. “Are you… looking for him?”

“Kind of. I was also looking for you, but I guess you’re right there.”

“I guess I am.”

Ed cleared his throat. “Anyway. Izumi said you’re more than welcome to help her out with food, but you don’t have to. Al and I are going to be in the shop almost all day, so it’ll be mostly you two. Sorry.”

Winry’s still-wet hair dripped all over the towel, completely soaking through it. “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“Okay. I’ll, um… just be in the shop. If you need anything. From me in particular. Okay, I’m leaving now.”

Winry smiled. “I’ll make sure to do that.”

“Okay. Well, see you. Around. See you around. I don’t see you, I’m talking to a door. Goodbye.”

“See you,” Winry said, but Ed was already gone. What a dork.

She quickly dried off, pulled her hair into the towel and wrapped it up, and changed into her fresh clothes. She was still smiling. What was it about Ed that kept her smiling?

She grabbed her things and threw them in the general direction of her duffel bag. She flipped her hair upside down and rubbed it dry. The pine-and-cinnamon smell had faded some, but it was still there. Winry’s face flushed. She hoped Ed didn’t notice that she had accidentally used his conditioner. 

Calling her hair dry enough, she went downstairs and to the kitchen. Izumi turned around when she got there. “Hello, Winry,” she said.

“Hi,” said Winry, a little awkward. “Would you like some help?”

“That would be nice.”

Izumi set Winry to work, the two of them working in relative silence at first.

“What kind of traditions does your family have?” asked Izumi. 

Winry glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. “Um, well… My grandma always makes apple pie and I help her do it. My dad always did the turkey, and my mom made this sweet potato thing with marshmallows.”

“That sounds really good.”

Winry smiled. “Yeah, it is. But it gives me a toothache because of how much sugar is in there.”

“Oh, I can imagine. When the boys were little, I used to make this Jello salad thing with apples and cranberries and celery, with whipped cream on top. They could eat an entire pan by themselves.”

“Really?”

“Don’t let them fool you. They can eat so much food. When they were in high school, Sig and I had to get food that would normally last a month. It lasted two weeks.”

That made Winry laugh. “Oh, I’ve seen Ed eat and he’s like a bottomless pit.”

“Al is worse. So much worse.” Izumi left for a moment to grab a stool, which she sat on. Winry put the knife she had been using behind the sink faucet and sprayed the pan. Izumi started putting the thin slices of potato in it. “He’s never been full in his life.” She went to the fridge and pulled out a gallon of milk and winked at Winry. “Ed hates milk, so we have to sneak it in where we can.”

“Really?”

Izumi nodded. “He can pick it out like a shark can pick out blood in water. So I sneak it in wherever I can and hope he won’t notice.”

“What happens if he does notice it?”

“Won’t eat it, usually. He claims it ruins the taste. What a load of crap.”

Winry grinned. “I can only imagine what a pain that must have been to get him to drink his milk.”

“There was that, but I eventually gave up. There are some battles you just have to let go.”

“Yeah,” said Winry. 

“Do you see the green recipe book that’s out?”

Winry nodded. 

“Can you find the roasted butternut squash recipe in there?”

Winry searched through the cookbook, gingerly handling its well-worn pages. It was just like her mom’s. “Found it.”

“Would you mind getting started on that?”

“Sure.” Winry read over the recipe, and after Izumi told her where everything was, got started on it. The key to All Souls Feast was to cook the food the day before and heat it up in the oven on the day of. 

“If you don’t mind me asking,” said Izumi, “what are you going into?”

Winry sighed. “I have no idea,” she said. “I’m in mechanical engineering right now, but I’m not feeling it anymore. Once this semester is over, I’ll be undeclared, but I hate not knowing what I’m doing with my life.”

Izumi turned to look at Winry. “Hmm,” was all she said.

“What?”

“You don’t seem like an engineer. I’m sure you’re perfectly capable, but you do not give off the feeling that engineers do.”

“And what’s that?”

“Well, with engineers I’ve known, they tend to have very analytical minds that put everything into boxes. Not always, but usually. You don’t.”

Winry walked over to the sink to wash the squash. “Well, what would you suggest I go into? At this point, I’ll consider anything.”

Izumi pursed her lips. “I’ll think about it, and let you know,” she said. 

“Thanks,” said Winry. She got out a cutting board and started slicing the squash.

Al poked his head into the kitchen. “Do you know where the whetstones are?” he asked.

“Hall closet, third shelf up in the basket on the left,” said Izumi, not taking her eyes off of putting bread crumbs into a gallon-sized bag.

“Thanks. Hi, Winry!”

Winry narrowed her eyes. She didn’t like the glint in Al’s eyes. “Hello, Al,” she said.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

Winry nearly dropped the knife she was using to cut the squash. “Yes, I did,” she said. “Did you sleep well?”

Izumi glanced between the two of them, her eyebrows raised. 

“Not terribly, but what can you do? I’m used to those crappy dorm beds, so it’ll take some getting used to an actual bed. What about you, Izumi?”

“I slept as well as I normally do,” she said, her tone shifting. “Why the sudden interest?”

Al grinned. “Oh, no reason. Bye!”

He left.

Izumi turned on Winry. “What the hell was that?” she asked.

Winry shrugged. “I have no idea,” she said, keeping her eyes carefully trained on the knife and the squash. 

“He’s up to something,” the other woman mused. She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll get him later.”

Winry nodded. “Mmhmm.”

Silence fell for about a half hour, minus Winry occasionally asking where things were. The kitchen was nice, but she had no idea where anything was, and especially in such a small kitchen with no pantry, anything could be anywhere.

Around noon, Izumi spoke up. “Why don’t you go over to the shop and tell the boys that they can grab lunch?”

“Sure,” said Winry.

“If you stay by the door you shouldn’t run into any pigs or lambs.”

Winry walked over to the sink and washed her hands. “All right.”

“And it’s kind of cold in there, so you might want to grab a coat.”

“Right.”

“And stay away from the knives and machinery.”

“Will do.”

Izumi turned to Winry. “Sorry if I’m coming across as being a mother hen. It’s been a long time since I’ve had my boys in the house, and I’m taking the mother-y-ness out on you.”

Winry dried her hands on a dish towel. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I haven’t had a mom for a few months now, so I actually kind of like it.”

Without warning, Izumi wrapped her arms around her. Her hug felt a lot like Ed’s did, and Winry realized where he had learned to hug from. She hugged Izumi back. 

“If you ever need a mom in your life, I’m right there,” she said. “You have my phone number, call or text me whenever you want.”

Winry hugged back, tears coming to her eyes. She blinked them back. “Thank you,” she said, her voice a little wet. “I’ll make sure to do that.”

Izumi pulled away, and held Winry at arm’s length. “You’re good for Ed. You know that, right? And if something ever happens to your friendship, we’ll kick him out of the family and keep you.”

Winry grinned. “As you should, but unfortunately, he’s stuck with me; whether he likes it or not.”

Izumi laughed. “That was vaguely threatening. I love it.”

Winry walked out of the kitchen and grabbed her coat before going into the butcher shop. The smell of raw, cold meat in an incredibly sterile environment overcame her, and she scrunched up her face. Izumi was right, it was cold, but she had completely forgotten to mention the smell. 

She kept to the walls, avoiding the carcasses hanging from hooks, until she came to a small area where Ed stood by a machine that cut the meat into even strips, white gloves over his hands, his hair pulled back into a ponytail, and a white apron on that had a little bit of red on it. He finished cutting the meat and glanced up at her. “Everything okay?” he asked. 

Winry nodded. “Izumi said you guys can come in for lunch.”

Ed wiped his forehead with his forearm, his bangs going around his arm. “Thanks for letting me know,” he said.

Winry pointed at the machine. “You, uh, really know how to use that.”

Ed looked down at the machine, then up at Winry. “Yeah,” he said. “This was my job in high school, so I learned how to work the machines pretty quickly. Sig is the real butcher; Al and I just helped out, worked the registers. He moved me to actual meat-cutting when I turned eighteen.”

“That’s cool,” said Winry. She pointed to the pigs hanging from the ceiling. “What do you do with those?”

Ed shrugged. “Cut them? I don’t do a lot of heavy lifting around here, so Sig and Al do most of that, but yeah. You, uh, said we could head in for lunch?”

Winry nodded. She had nearly forgotten about that.

“AL! SIG! FOOD’S READY!” Ed called out. “Shall we, uh, go ahead?”

Winry nodded, and stepped out of his way. Ed took his gloves off and threw them away. He took his apron off and hung it on a hook. Winry couldn’t tear her eyes away from his shoulders. Had they always been that broad?

He opened the door for her, and followed her into the kitchen. 

“Wash your hands,” said Izumi. “I won’t have your meat juice on my table.”

Ed rolled his eyes. “Sure thing.”

“Are Al and Sig coming?”

“Yeah, I yelled for them.”

Izumi clapped the back of Ed’s head. “Don’t yell for them. Go and find them, and tell them in person.”

“Then I’d have to wash my hands all over again!”

“Well, you should have thought of that before you came in.”

Ed rolled his eyes, but did what he was asked. While he was gone, Winry went to the powder room and washed her hands.

Al, Sig, and Ed came in and washed their hands in the kitchen sink before raiding what was left of the leftovers. 

“We had about eight special orders,” said Sig, “along with last-minute shoppers coming in for ham and turkey.”

“I didn’t leave the register for  _ hours,” _ said Al. “I hate customer service.”

“Shouldn’t have gone into the medical field, then,” said Ed. “You’ll be talking to people then, too.”

“Yeah, but when I actually get there I’ll have a license and knowledge so people have to listen to me.”

Ed and Izumi burst out laughing. “If that’s what you think it’s going to be like,” she said, “then you need a wake-up call. Doctors and nurses —  _ especially _ nurses — are some of the most overworked and under appreciated people ever. Trust me, I’ve been in enough hospitals over my lifetime.”

Winry blinked. Nurse. She could try nursing. It was a possibility, and the possibility sent a shiver down her spine. A good shiver, and the hairs on her forearms stood up. “Izumi,” she said, “do you think I’d make a good nurse?”

Izumi turned to her. “Holy hell. Yeah, you’d make a good nurse.”

“You’d make an amazing nurse,” Ed said through a mouthful of food. “You have the patience and temperament for it.”

“What he means,” said Izumi, “was that you don’t take crap from people.”

“And didn’t you mention that you went into mechanical engineering to see if you could make people’s lives easier?”

“Edward, swallow your food before you talk.”

Ed put another mouthful of food into his mouth. “Sure thing,” he said with his mouth full.

Both Izumi and Winry rolled their eyes. 

“You should definitely try,” said Sig. “And if you don’t like it, you can always change. That’s the nice thing about college; you don’t have to have your life planned out right now.”

“And if you go into nursing,” said Al, “we can talk crap about the medical field.”

Winry pointed at him. “That’s actually not that bad of an idea.”

Ed grinned at her, and she smiled back, almost as if they were the only ones in the room. Ed looked down, his face pink. Winry cleared her throat and looked away, mumbling something about needing to go to the bathroom. She went up the stairs and closed the bathroom door behind her. A little bit of steam still hung in the air, but all she could smell was Ed’s conditioner. Cinnamon and pine. 

She lowered the toilet lit and sat down on it. She zoned out. 

Her heart was still fluttering. Why was it fluttering? It was just a smile, they had shared hundreds of those, if not thousands. So why had that one been different? Why did everything in this house remind her of Edward? Why was it, every time she closed her eyes, that she saw his face and felt his smile?

It hit her like a train, literally knocking the wind out of her. 

No way was she in love with Ed. They were friends, just friends, comfortable friends. Besides, he was aroace. Even if she was in love — which she  _ wasn’t _ — nothing could nor would happen. She respected that. She respected  _ him _ . 

A knock came at the door. “Winry?” It was Ed. “You okay in there?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” What she wouldn’t give for a good hug right about now.

“Okay. I’ll, um, be downstairs.”

Winry stood up and walked to the door, resting her fingers on the doorknob. If she opened it, that was it. She would see him standing there, with his golden hair and golden eyes as deep as the ocean, so open and vulnerable to her and only her, and there would be no turning back. “Hey, Ed?”

“Yeah?” His response was so sudden, she suspected he had been waiting for her to say something.

Slowly, she turned the doorknob. If she opened the door, that was it. A lifetime of heartache. But as long as he was her friend, as long as he was happy, she would do it. Damn how she felt, all that mattered was him.

She opened the door. He stood there. “Can I have a hug?” she whispered. 

She didn’t know who hugged the other, but they both wrapped their arms around her, and Winry held on as tight as she could, her heart slowly ripping in two. Hugs were wonderful, but they didn’t fix everything. 

She breathed in. Cinnamon and pine. Ed buried his head into her shoulder. She held on tighter. As long as they stayed like this, comfortable friends, they would be happy. He would be happy, and that was all she needed. 

His warmth started filling in some of her cracks. 

“Thank you,” she mumbled into his shirt.

“Of course,” he said. 

Winry smiled. A sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. She could stay like this forever, and she nearly did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consistent chapter titles are just not going to happen. Anyway, thanks for reading, and leave a comment/kudos so I know that I'm not writing into the void!!


	5. Izumi

Izumi wasn’t an idiot. From the second Ed had called her for that apple pie recipe, she knew something was up. What she hadn’t realized, until the second she saw them together, was that the poor fool was head over heels for Winry, in whatever way he was capable of. 

_ That damn apple pie, _ she thought as she watched Ed follow Winry up the stairs. 

She spun on Al. “Spill,” she said. 

Al pointed at himself. “Who, me?”

“Cut the crap, Alphonse, and spill the beans.”

Al grinned and pulled his phone out. Izumi and Sig crowded together to see the face of the phone. On it was a picture of Ed and Winry, snuggled up together. Fatty Arbukcle jumped onto Izumi’s lap and immediately started purring. Sig raised an eyebrow. “That’s an impressive angle,” he said. “How long did it take you to get?”

Al shrugged. “A few minutes. It’s not like they noticed or anything.”

Izumi started petting Fatty Arbuckle’s long, white fur. The cat kneaded Izumi’s lap, her claws sticking to the fabric. “They’re friends, right? Ed hasn’t had a crisis of conscience?”

“Probably, knowing him. But I wouldn’t be surprised if him and Winry were super-friends, or whatever.”

Izumi picked up Al’s phone and held it in her hand. It was a little hard to pick out details -- she hated her glasses and refused to wear them under any circumstances, and this was one of them -- but there was  _ something _ there. Something deep. She hummed and gave the phone back. “What else do you know?”

Al thought for a moment. “They’re inseparable. When I get the occasional text from Ed, he's usually with Winry. They were basically attached at the hip back at Fallbridge. In any other circumstance, it’d be super weird, but I really like Winry. She’s a cool person.”

“But do they know?” Sig asked. 

Al snorted. “We might have to tell them.”

Izumi shook her head. “No. If there is something there -- whatever it is -- it needs to grow organically. That’s what happened with Sig and myself, and look where we are now.”

Sig put a hand on her back and smiled down at her. She leaned into his touch and rested her head against his chest. She got incredibly lucky the day she ran into him with that bear; he was the best man she knew.

Al finished his lunch. “Well, we should get going. Meat to chop, knives to sharpen, surgery skills to practice.”

Izumi snorted.

Sig pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, and him and Al went back to the shop. Ed and Winry still weren’t down. Izumi shrugged and went back to the kitchen. All Souls Feast was a wonderful holiday, and she loved having her family around, but it was a lot of cooking. 

A while later, she heard two distinct sets of feet on the stairs. She put the water she was trying to boil on low, and stood in a spot to hear what Ed and Winry were saying. 

“... get going,” said Winry. “Helping Izumi and all that. She’s really nice, by the way.”

“Yeah,” said Ed. “Better go back to chopping meat. Me, not you. Um… see you.”

“See you.”

Izumi walked over to the stove and continued boiling the water. Soon enough, Winry came in with a half-full plate of food. “What should I do with this?” she asked. “I’m not terribly hungry.”

“You can throw it away,” said Izumi. “Could you dice some apples and celery?”

“Sure thing,” she said, washing her hands in the sink. “Sorry about leaving so abruptly.”

“No worries, we barely noticed.” That was partially true, they had noticed Ed practically run up the stairs after her, not her initial departure. “I was thinking that after we get this jello salad done, we can start making some pies.”

Winry perked up. “I would really like that. The pies that Ed made for me were really good, so I’ve been itching to get the recipe from you.”

“It’s good to hear that making him learn how to cook didn’t go to waste.”

“It definitely didn’t,” Winry said as she washed the apples and celery. “Do you want the apples peeled?”

“No, not for this. And you only need to use one.”

“Got it.”

Bubbles rose to the surface in the boiling water, so Izumi poured the jello mixture into it and started the timer. Winry got the apples and celery diced, along with getting some cranberries. They mixed all of them into the jello, then poured it into a pan. “We’ll make the whipped cream in a couple of hours, while it’s had time to settle,” said Izumi. She clapped her hands together. “So. Pie.” 

A sudden wave of nausea overcame her, but she pushed it down. She directed Winry to what she would need to start on the apple pie, and showed her how to work the apple peeler. They chatted while doing that, nothing more than small talk, as a long stream of apple peelings came off of the green apples as Winry turned the crank on the peeler. Izumi’s vision started spotting, and she got the sudden, overwhelming need to use the bathroom. “Excuse me,” she said, and made her way to the stairs. She stepped onto the first step, and her body completely froze, as if she was petrified. 

_ No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not this, not now.  _

“Winry,” she tried to call out, but her throat wouldn’t make the noises as lights danced in her vision and she collapsed to the ground.

She never blacked out during seizures. That was probably the worst part about them. 

As if through a stained glass window, she saw Winry drop everything and rush over to her, but she was convulsing too much for the girl to get too close. Finally, Winry ran to the shop, shouted something, and Sig and Ed came rushing in moments later. Al came in, but Ed said something to him, so he left. 

Sig rolled her to her side, and a few moments later the colorful lights faded, only to be replaced by a splitting migraine, sore muscles, and severe thirst. She tried to speak, but couldn’t. Sig helped her sit up, and Ed jumped over her to get her some water. Winry stood in the corner, shaking. Ed gave the glass of water to Sig, who carefully fed it to her. “You okay?” he asked in a small voice.

Not trusting that her voice would still work, she nodded.

“I’ll tell Al everything’s okay,” said Ed, still looking at Izumi. He glanced up at Winry. “Winry? Are you…”

She shook her head, her eyes wide and her hands covering her mouth. Ed stood up and pulled her hands away from her mouth, holding them tightly in his. Izumi closed her eyes, putting all of her weight on Sig. “Come on,” she heard Ed say softly, and the two of them left.

“Do you think you can stand?” Sig asked. 

She shook her head. She was still a little disoriented. Sig gingerly picked her up as she started coughing. She covered her mouth with her apron. The coughs ripped out of her throat as small specks of blood stained the apron.

Sig walked into their room, took her apron off, and tucked her into bed. “What about…?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

Sig smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, Izumi. We’ll take care of it.”

Izumi nodded, her eyes fluttering closed as she slipped back into her pillows. Seizures always made her tired. “How long was that one?”

“No longer than a minute,” said Sig, kissing her forehead. “Sleep, my love.”

Izumi nodded, and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

She was reading a book of poems when Ed knocked on the doorframe. “Hey,” he said. “Mind if I come in?”

Izumi put her book onto her nightstand and waved him over. He sat on the edge of her bed and took his leg off, before crawling under the blankets with her. He reached over for the book of poems and opened it to a random page. Izumi grabbed a pillow and propped it up behind them, with his head mostly on her shoulder. She blew his hair out of her face. “Comb your hair,” she said. 

“Not right now,” he said, “I just got comfortable.”

Izumi grinned. “You always were a sucker for snuggles.”

“Sue me.”

Izumi closed her eyes and rested her head on top of his. Ed had done this many times before, but one in particular stood out. He had been around fifteen at the time, and he had come in, taken off his leg, and snuggled close to her. She had been reading a different book at the time, but he opened it up and started reading the poems out loud to her. After a while, he had stopped and closed the book, his finger holding his place. “Mom?” he had said. 

That was the first time he had ever called her anything other than Izumi. She had put her hand on the side of his head. “What is it?”

“I… I don’t think I’m ever going to fall in love,” he had said. “Not in the way you and Sig are, anyway. And… I don’t know. I’m so confused about everything, and I’m surrounded at school with something that I don’t think I’ll ever have the ability to have, and I’m honestly a little scared.”

Izumi had pulled her son into her arms and squeezed him tight. “I get it,” she said. “All Sig and I wanted was to have a child, and we tried and tried for ten years until we realized that I can’t bear children, and I never would.  _ Everyone _ around us was having little babies, and raising their families, and it hurt. There was a deep hurt inside me, because I’d never get that. Still won't, but it hurt a little more back then.

“But then you and your brother came into our lives, long after I had given up hope of ever being a mother. You boys changed everything in a single instant; and even though I’ll never be able to have my own biological child,  _ you _ are my son, and I think it counts even more because we chose you, and you chose us.”

Ed held on tighter. 

“Even if you don’t have the capacity to have a sweeping, star-crossed romance with your perfect soulmate, that doesn’t mean you can’t fall in love.” She had turned to look at her son in his eyes, then, only to see they were brimming with tears. She wiped them away, and had smiled at him. “We have power over who, or what, we love. We can fall in love with a single person, yes, but we can also fall in love with how the trees change color, with words on a page, with one of the cats running headfirst into the wall.” Ed had snorted and wiped his eyes. “There isn’t just one type of love, either. I love Sig, but I also love you. I don’t love you in the same way I love Sig, but I also don’t love Sig like I love you. And how I love Al, and the cats, are completely different from how I love you and Sig. 

“There is no limit on love, or how much you can give, or what you can feel. The more you give, in whatever capacity you can, the more you receive. And I’ll love you no matter what, even if you can’t give me grandbabies.”

Ed had snorted wetly, and snuggled closer to her. “Thank you,” he had whispered as Izumi had kissed the top of his head.

Ed waved his hand in front of her face. “You okay?” he asked. “You zoned out there for a second.”

Izumi blinked. “Yes,” she said. “Just lost in thought.”

“As long as you’re not going to pass out on me,” he said, opening the book. 

“Not this time, anyway.”

Ed nudged her as he rolled his eyes. “Shush,” he said. 

At that moment, Marigold jumped onto the bed, settling herself between Ed and Izumi.

“Come on,” he groaned, only to have Lord Chancellor of the Void Beyond sit next to the orange tabby. “Anyone else want to join in?”

Izumi snorted as both Carol and Fatty Arbuckle joined the party. “Be careful what you say,” she said. “Cats know all.”

“Bastard demons,” Ed muttered.

Izumi nudged him with her shoulder. “Be nice, or they’ll claw you in your sleep.”

Ed mumbled something, his face turning bright red. Izumi smirked. “What was that?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” He cleared his throat and started to read. He wasn’t the best oral reader, Izumi had to admit, but he read with enough inflection that it covered his hesitations and pauses. 

She had missed this. Just her and Ed, her boy, snuggled close together. It helped that they were both tactile people; constantly reaching out and touching the people they loved, just to make sure they were there. 

After several poems, Ed closed the book, putting his finger between the pages to mark where he had left off. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Can you change? Like, yes, I know that people change; but is it possible for what you thought was at your core to… not be there? One portion of your core, not the entire thing. Could you be wrong about yourself?”

Izumi smoothed down Ed’s bangs. “This is about Winry, isn’t it?”

He gaped like a fish, mumbling protests, before his face fell and he sighed. “Yeah. It’s about Winry.”

Izumi didn’t say anything. When he realized that she would let him speak whatever was on his mind, he continued. “I  _ knew _ I was aroace. As far as I know, I still am. I’m just… confused. I’m really, really confused because Winry’s just… She’s amazing. We  _ click _ , you know? From the first second I saw her I knew that I wanted her in my life forever. 

“And we were just friends at first, yeah? Really, really good friends. And the more I got to know her, the more she meant to me and the more I wanted her around -- she helped me out of a panic attack. Did I tell you that? It was a really bad one, too. And I was the first person she talked to after she got the news of her parents’ deaths, and…

“Fallbridge was so much fun. Mostly because it was the first time I had seen Al in months, but also because she was there. Izumi, besides you, she’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Possibly the most amazing person. She’s so strong, and kind, and her heart is open to screw-ups like me, and she’s my friend.” He took a shaky breath. “And I think… I think I might be in love with her. The star-crossed, soulmate thing, and I’m terrified. Scared out of my own damn mind because everything I thought I knew is thrown out the window. 

“I mean, until now, I didn’t feel a thing when it came to romance or attractiveness or that other thing. But it’s  _ Winry. _ I can’t pinpoint the exact time or place, or even figure out what she said or did that made me start feeling this way. Maybe it’s me, maybe I’m a defect or something; my brain is definitely screwed up. But I think… I think I knew a while ago. Like, I was halfway in love with her before I realized what the hell was going on.”

Silence passed between them for several minutes. 

“Ed, I want you to listen to me,” said Izumi. “You’re not a defect, first of all. If anything I am.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Shut up, I’m talking. Secondly, I can see the way you two look at each other. I’m not blind, I’m just sick and old. And you definitely have something. Friendship, romance, call it whatever, something’s there. Lastly, you’re twenty years old. You’re not supposed to have your entire identity figured out. Hell, I don’t, and I’m over fifty.

“Know this, over everything else. I love you, Sig loves you, your brother loves you. Winry probably does too, though I can’t speak for her.” Ed snorted. “Whatever you are, whoever you are, no matter how many identity crises you go through in your life, I’m here for you as long as I’m able.”

Ed wrapped his arms around her waist and snuggled closer. “Thank you,” he mumbled, his voice muffled by her clothes. “I couldn’t have asked for a better mom.”

Izumi grinned. “Good to know,” she said. “I couldn't have asked for a better son.”

“What about Al?”

“He’s not here.”

Soon, their breathing evened out so they were breathing in time together. Ed’s head lolled, and Izumi sighed. Now that he was asleep, she couldn’t move. He was like a cat in that regard, one he plopped down you legally couldn’t move. 

Fatty Arbuckle stood up and stretched, walking over to Ed and plopping down on his chest. Izumi held back a laugh. She took the book of poems from Ed and put a slip of paper where his finger had been. She leaned back and closed her eyes. She loved being a mother, especially at times like this. 

“Thank you,” she mouthed up at the ceiling. To who, or what, she didn’t know; but she knew that this was love, and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.


	6. The Merry-Go-Round

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost to the finish line, folks! I've started on the next part of this series and have a loose plan of what I want to happen, so you're not getting rid of me that easily :)
> 
> Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment/kudos so I know I'm not writing into an empty void!!

All Soul’s Feast was… fine. The food was excellent, the conversation lively, and the laughter plenty. But Ed couldn’t keep his mind off of Winry, his talk with Izumi from the night before, and how lonely he had been with only his thoughts. At this point, after tossing and turning loud enough for Al to throw a pillow down at him, he was one hundred percent positive he hated feelings. He thought he wouldn’t have to deal with this, being aroace and a general pain in everyone’s ass, but here he was. Sitting next to Winry as they talked and laughed and ate food together; it was almost like they were the only ones there.

He just hoped that she wouldn’t see through the mask he had put up.

With dishes comfortably in the sink and dishwasher, Al playing with the cats, Izumi sleeping something off, and Sig watching football in the front room, Ed decided to go outside. Dublith was usually warm, with no more than a couple of inches of snowfall a year, and it was late afternoon, so he didn’t need to bring a coat. 

He was just tying his shoes on the stairs when Winry sat down next to him. “Whatcha doing?” she asked.

“I’m going to go for a walk,” he said. 

“Mind if I join?”

“Go right ahead.”

Winry grabbed her shoes and jacket, slipping them on before following Ed outside. He stuffed his hands into the pockets in his jeans. It really was nice outside, with the golden afternoon sun shining down and Winry walking next to him. Almost out of habit, she looped her arm through his. He jumped a little bit, the contact sending an uncomfortable amount of electricity up his arm. She looked at him, her pale blonde hair falling around her shoulders, with her bangs nearly hiding her eyebrows, and her brilliant blue eyes tilted quizzically. 

He could get lost in her eyes.

“Everything okay?” she asked, squeezing his arm a little tighter. 

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He looked away and at the sidewalk they were on. It wasn’t the nicest part of Dublith; the buildings had been cracking with paint peeling for as long as he could remember, but this was home. 

“Thanks for inviting me,” she said. “It’s been nice.”

“Of course,” he said. “It’s been great, having you down here.”

Winry moved closer to him. “I just have to say: I love watching you and Al bounce off of each other. It’s absolute chaos, but it’s honestly so much fun to watch.”

“Good to hear that we’re giving you entertainment.”

“This is going to sound weird, but it almost feels like I have a sibling, watching you two.”

“You’re an only child, right?”

Winry nodded, their shadows extending in front of them. “When I was a kid, I would always ask Santa for a little sibling. Usually a baby brother, don’t ask why, but that was on my Yulemas wish-list until I was about eleven, I think? Eventually, I realized that I wouldn’t get a younger sibling, so I kind of gave up. Now I wish more than ever I had one, just so I could talk to them about Mom and Dad. I really miss them,” she whispered.

“Well, you can always claim Al and I as your siblings,” Ed said, a little hopeful but also a little sad. Hopeful that, if she did so, his brain would realize that he can’t have feelings and this whole thing was just a weird brain-thing. Sad that, if she did, that closed something off. What, he wasn’t sure, but it broke his heart just a little bit.

“Maybe I should,” she said. “Al, at the very least. We have a good thing going on that I don’t want to mess with.”

Ed’s stomach leaped. “Yeah,” he said. “Neither do I.”

_ Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up. You’re just confused and questioning your entire life, so just shut up.  _

“Do you want to go to the park?” he asked.

Winry’s face lit up. “Of  _ course _ I want to go to the park!”

Ed turned right at the nearest corner and started down to the local park. It was very, very old and definitely broke city codes, but it was a fun spot. 

“So, what was it like as an only child?”

Winry thought for a moment. “A little lonely,” she said. “When I was little, my parents would have playdates with me almost every day, to teach me how to actually socialize with people. That’s where I met Paninya, actually. We hated each other at first, but we became friends when we realized we were in the same kindergarten class.”

Ed laughed. He had only met Paninya once, but he could definitely see that dynamic.

Winry grinned. “I’m also very, very good at talking to adults.”

“We’re adults.”

“You know what I mean.”

Ed grinned. “Do I?”

Winry smacked him on the arm with her free hand. “Older people. People at least twenty years older than I am.”

“There we go.”

Winry rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Edward. You’re hopeless.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“ _ Anyway, _ as I was saying, I’m usually better at talking to  _ older _ adults. Byproduct of being an only child mixed with growing up in my grandma’s house.”

Ed nodded. “You and Izumi got along really, really well.”

“She is a wonderful woman. I can see where you get all of your good traits from.”

“Hey!”

“Am I wrong?”

“Absolutely not, but I don’t appreciate being called out like that.”

Winry laughed. “Get used to it,” she said, “because as long as I stick around you, I’m going to keep doing it.”

“Okay.” Ed found a smile playing at his lips, but he didn’t try to school it. This was Winry, after all.

“So. Any other questions you have about being an only child?”

Ed thought for a moment. “Not really,” he said. “I’m sure you get a billion questions.”

“I honestly do. But it’s you, so I really don’t mind that much.”

Ed rolled his eyes. “Come on, Winry. You don’t have to lie for me.” Winry stopped dead in her tracks, her arm still linked through his, making him stop too. He looked over at her. “What?”

“Something is up with you, Edward Elric,” she said, her gaze hard. “First you barely looked at me all during dinner even though we were right next to each other, your sentences are shorter and choppier than normal, and you’re being  _ way _ more self-deprecating. So spill.”

Ed’s heart leaped to his throat. He wasn’t… He couldn’t… He wasn’t ready…

He looked around. “We’re almost to the park,” he said. “Come on, I’ll push you on one of the swings.”

“I am not moving from this spot until you talk to me.”

Ed looked straight at Winry, his breath shaking. If he didn’t know better, he would say she was glaring at him.

“I’m just… I’m so  _ confused _ ,” he said, his voice shaking. “There’s a lot going on, and my brain can’t handle it all and I feel like I’ve slowly been drowning in my thoughts for… I don’t know how long. It’s like, any second I’m going to burst and I’m not sure what will happen when I do.”

Winry let go of his arm to face him, and brought her hand up to cup his cheek. She tilted her head to the side, a soft smile forming. “Well, whatever your brain is doing, tell it to stop because it’s kind of weirding me out.”

Ed laughed. “Yeah, it’s weirding me out too.”

“Anyway. You said something about pushing me on a swing?”

Ed grinned. “The swings are a little sketchy, but they’ve survived about a hundred years of kids screwing around on them.”

“The older the better, I say. It’s just over there, right? Come on.”

She tugged his hand out of his pocket, holding it tight, and dragged him to the park. It was old enough to have sand on the ground, an aluminum slide that hurt when the sun was out, monkey bars, a merry-go-round that broke at least three city codes, and swings that were in much better shape than the rest of the park. Winry immediately plopped herself down on a swing and turned to look at him. “You coming?”

Ed rolled his eyes and planted himself behind Winry. “You want high pushes, or low ones?”

“Whatever you want.”

Ed bent over to look at Winry over her shoulder. “Are you positive?”

“I trust you,” she said with the corners of her mouth upturned.

Ed straightened up and started pushing her. She held onto the chains holding the swing up, her hair flying around her as he pushed her higher and higher. His fingers only pressed against her back for a small moment every swing, but before long she was laughing and he was smiling and it was all  _ good. _

Eventually, Winry told him to stop, so he grabbed ahold of the chains, jerking Winry around a little bit before she stopped. “Okay, your turn.”

“What?”

“Get on the swing, I’m going to push you.”

She stood up and they switched places. “I’ve been thinking,” said Ed, settling into the swing and wrapping his hands around the chains. 

“That’s dangerous.” She started pushing him, slowly at first but she picked up speed the higher he got. 

“Do remember that one show you mentioned to me, way back when we first met?”

_ “Emberring?” _

“That’s the one. I can’t find it anywhere.”

“Really? Where have you looked?”

“Pretty much everywhere.”

The wind bit against his face and hands and tore through his shirt. 

“Well, I have it on my phone if you want to watch it. I could probably even send it to you.”

“What if we watched it? I mean, the shop is closed for the next few days, and we’re not going back to Central until Sunday.”

“That’s not a half bad idea.”

“I do have them on occasion.”

She pushed him, her hands flat against his back for a split second. “Are you shivering?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

Winry abruptly stopped the swing. “I didn’t ask if you were fine, I asked if you were shivering.”

“A little bit, but it’s not that bad.”

Winry unzipped her coat and wrapped it around Ed’s shoulders. “Wear that.”

“Don’t you need it?”

“I’ve been overheating in that thing; the wind will feel nice. Now put it on.”

Ed did as he was told. It was warm, both from her body heat and from being thick. It smelled faintly of apples and vanilla, and other than the shoulders being a bit too tight it fit perfectly. The arms might have been a little short, but he didn’t mind. “Thanks,” he said, zipping it up.

“No problem. Now how about we go on the merry-go-round?”

Ed stood up and followed Winry over to the merry-go-round. It was a metal circle with bars on it and faded, chipped paint. Ed had broken his hand on this several times, the memories of summer and Al bringing a smile to his face. 

Winry climbed over the bars and held her hand out to him. He took it, her palm warm against his, and clambered over the bars. They sat down at the same time, holding onto the bar.

“Ready?” she asked, her eyebrows raised mischievously.

“I’ve broken my hand on this thing at least twice.”

Her face fell. “Oh. Did you not want --”

“Let’s do this.”

Together, using their feet, they spun themselves around and around, the world a blur. After a couple rounds, Ed stood up and carefully walked to the other side, and pushed from there. Winry’s feet slid against the sandy bottom, bringing them to a stop. “I forgot how easily these things give me headaches,” she said. “What about you? Have you broken your hand yet?”

He held up his right hand to her. “Nope.”

Winry stood up and walked over, plopping down right next to him, her leg resting against his. She had her hands in her lap. Ed rested his forearms against the bar, leaning his head up against them.

“Can I tell you something?” she asked.

“Sure.” 

The wind played with her blonde hair, making it dance in front of her. Ed’s bangs shifted in the wind as well, and he had to tuck them behind his ear before returning to his original spot. The merry-go-round shifted ever so slightly, creaking under the wind’s force. “Do you remember what you said earlier about being confused?”

Ed nodded.

“Well, I’ve been confused too. A lot. Really confused.” He could see the wheels turning inside her head as she blinked, trying to think of what to say next. She sniffed. “I’ve been talking to Rosė a little bit, and she’s, like, a really cool person.”

Ed nodded. That was true, Rosė was very cool, but he would be lying if her words didn’t make his stomach twist itself into nervous knots.

“And I really want to be close with her. But, not  _ that _ close. I want to get to know her more, but I don’t think we have…  _ that _ sort of thing going on. You know what I mean.”

Ed nodded. “Sounds to me like you have a squish.”

“A what now?”

“A squish. It’s like a crush, but platonic. And don’t ask me what a crush is, I’ve never had one.” That was true, he had jumped straight from friendship to whatever the hell he was feeling with Winry, completely skipping over the ever-elusive crush.

“Okay. Is that an aroace thing?”

Ed shrugged. “I’ve had squishes, sure. It’s like… a strong feeling that you need to squish the person’s face, but you also want to be super good friends.”

“I’m not relating to the ‘squish the person’s face’ bit, but I can relate.”

“There’s a whole list of these things. There’s one for aesthetic attraction, sensual attraction, sexual attraction… the list goes on and on, but the only one I really use is squish. And no, it’s not limited to us aros or aces.”

Winry nodded, the twin strands of hair that framed her face waving in the wind. “That makes sense. But what if she… I don’t know, tries to ask me out? Because if I am squishing on her, that doesn’t sound the best. Like, yes, I’d like to get to know her a little more and develop more of an emotional bond, but not like that.” She laughed. “I complain about not having a girlfriend all the time, but when I might actually get one, I chicken out.”

“If I’m not allowed to be self-deprecating, then you sure as hell aren’t. Besides, I think she’ll understand. First of all, she’s an a-spec ally and she has heard me rant time and time again about different forms of attraction. Secondly, I honestly don’t get the need to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend.”

Winry nodded. “Least of all I forget that you’re aroace.”

Ed narrowed his eyes. “You okay, there? That sounded a little… off.”

She waved her hand between them. “Nothing, don’t worry about it. Anyway, thanks for the relationship help.”

Ed nodded. “You’re welcome.”

She smiled. “You’re my best friend. You know that, right? Like, I’ve known Paninya and other people longer but you’re… different. Special. I think I can honestly say you’re the best person I’ve ever met, and you have this light around you that just… pulls me in” She nudged him in the shoulder. “Don’t let that inflate your head, by the way. 

Ed raised his eyebrows. “Thanks,” he says. “That means a lot.” He shifted, so his hands were folded in his lap and he stared down at them and the long shadows in the late afternoon sun. “You’re my best friend too, Winry. One of my only ones, in fact. I do have friends, but it’s like you said.” He looked over at her. “You’re absolutely phenomenal. You know that, right?”

Winry’s cheeks flushed and she looked down at her hands again. She started inspecting her nails, picking at little specks of dirt that had collected underneath them. 

Ed nudged her in the shoulder and grabbed her hands, folding them into his. That was one of many nice things about her hands; he was able to completely envelop them in his own. She shifted them so he was cupping her hands, her fingers curled around his. They sat like that for what seemed like hours as they watched their shadows slowly elongate. Winry’s head rested on his shoulder, and his head rested atop of hers. She blew his hair out of her face, making him chuckle.

“I like it when you do that,” she said. “I can hear the reverberations through your chest.”

Ed hummed. “How about that?”

Winry closed her eyes and smiled. “Yeah, that’s nice.”

Several more minutes passed, and Winry started trembling ever so slightly. “You cold?” he asked. 

“Little bit.”

Ed took her coat off, the chill air biting him as soon as that protective layer was gone, and wrapped it around Winry’s shoulders. As an extra measure, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I could stay like this forever,” she hummed. “But I’m also a little cold.”

“Me too.”

“Just… Can we freeze this moment in time? Just us, right here, right now.” She inhaled, leaving something unspoken in the air. 

Still with one arm around Winry, Ed reached into his back pocket and took out his phone. “I don’t know how to freeze time, but I think pictures come pretty close.”

“You do it, you have longer arms.”

“Not by much.”

“True, although you stretched out the shoulders a little bit.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Ed went to the camera and held it so him and Winry were both in the frame. She smiled wide as Ed took several pictures in a row.

“You weren’t smiling,” she said, hitting him lightly on the chest.

“I was,” he protested. He zoomed into one of the pictures, proving that he was smiling. “There. See?”

Winry squinted. “I don’t see a thing. I’ve seen you smile and that is not it.”

“I don’t smile for pictures that well.”

Winry turned to him, her eyebrows raised. “Liar,” she said. “I have seen at least a dozen family pictures where your smile is so big it’s almost blinding.”

Ed rolled his eyes and stood up. “Come on, it’s getting cold.”

Winry pursed her lips. “Can’t we just sit here for a little longer?”

Ed looked at the sky. They had been out for hours. “Park closes at dusk, and we’re not that far off from it.”

“Really?” Winry looked up at the sky. “Oh, yeah, you’re right.” She slid underneath the bar and stood on the sandy ground. She cocked her head to the side. “You coming or what?”

Ed blinked. “Yeah. Sorry, I just zoned out there for a second.”

Winry held her hand out towards him. “Come on,” she said. Ed clambered over the bar and landed on the ground. He took her hand, and together they walked back to the Curtis household, their fingers intertwined and their steps perfectly in unison. 

They arrived back at the house after the sun had set and stood under the flickering porch light. Ed stopped before he opened the door. Winry squeezed his hand and looked up at him. Ed just stared at the green front door.

“If I do meet my father, would you come with me? Even with Al there, I don’t think I can…”

Winry wrapped her arms around his chest and pulled him close. “Of course,” she said. 

Ed wrapped his arms around her shoulders, his hand resting on the back of her head. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Winry pulled away and opened the door. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s watch  _ Emberring, _ okay?”

Ed nodded, and followed her inside.


	7. Hello There

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, this is exciting, for me at least. First planned multi-chapter fic that I've finished and put on here, so this is a proud moment. Anyway, enjoy, and stay tuned because this series _will_ continue. Now onto reading!!

A soft knock came from the door, and Izumi poked her head in. Winry stood up when she entered, standing in the doorway. Izumi smiled. “Don’t stand up on my account,” she said. “Actually, do you mind if I join you?”

Winry nodded, and Izumi sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a bit.

“I know Ed talked to you about my seizure the other day, but I wanted to come and see how you’re doing with that. I would have talked to you sooner, but we were busy eating yesterday, and you and Ed ran off before I could say anything.”

Winry nodded. Once they had gotten in after they had gone to the park, her and Ed had stayed up until about four in the morning, completely getting through  _ Emberring. _ If she was being humble, she’d say he liked it; but he was hooked. They had already planned another re-watch of it once finals were over.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Winry. “Ed told me everything, and I’m fine. I really am.”

Izumi chuckled softly. “You’re really not. I’m a mom, remember? I’m an expert at reading emotions, especially after raising wool-headed idiots like Al and Ed.”

Winry grinned. She had a point there. “I will admit, it freaked me out. You just collapsed and started convulsing… I had no idea what was going on. I’m just glad they heard me shout.”

Izumi nodded. “That’s always something I’m very aware of. I never really know when seizures are coming on, but you handed everything wonderfully, so thank you.”

Winry nodded. “I have had a lot of fun here, though. Even with…” she gestured wildly, “that thing. And I really enjoyed meeting you. I definitely saw where Ed got some things.”

Izumi flung her head back, laughing. “No one has ever said that to me! I can see why he likes you so much.”

Winry looked down at her hands, her face heating ever so slightly. “Yeah, he’s a really good friend.”

“Anyway, I should get going. It’s almost eleven, and Sig is taking you and the boys back up to Central very, very early tomorrow morning.”

Winry nodded. “I know, It’s really ni --”

A crash came from downstairs. Immediately, Izumi and Winry had their heads pointed at the door, like bloodhounds sniffing something out. Izumi narrowed her eyes. They stood up at the same time and walked down the stairs together, shoulder to shoulder. They stopped at the bottom step, and Winry stood there, her mouth agape.

Al was on Ed’s shoulders, his head ramming into the ceiling. Ed staggered around, trying to keep his brother’s head from slamming into the ceiling while keeping Al securely on his shoulders. Their backs were turned, but they were clearly arguing and cursing at each other, mostly to “keep still, dumbass!”

“Hello there,” said Winry, her hands on her hips. Idiots, the both of them.

Ed spun around. “Winry Rockbell!” he cried. His heel slid on something and he toppled over, landing on his butt. Al fell off of his shoulders, kneeing him in the gut before falling to the ground. They were a tangle of limbs, but they were soon laughing and smiling. Ed looked up at her, a stupid grin splitting his face. Al squirmed, accidentally elbowing Ed in the face.

“Ow! Dammit, Al, watch it!”

“Sorry, brother!”

Winry smiled. Ed rolled his eyes, and turned back to her, a smaller smile now.  _ What a dork-ass nerd face _ , Winry thought as she hid her smile with a fist. Fatty Arbuckle jumped onto Al’s back and immediately started purring.

Off to the corner, a lamp lay on the floor, the lightbulb shattered and the shade a good foot or so away from it. Izumi glanced over at it, her face darkening, and her eyes almost glowing a violent shade of red. 

“What the  _ hell _ are you two doing?” she yelled, her voice somehow shrill and a guttural growl at the same time. “It’s late, you need to wake up early tomorrow, and you  _ broke my lamp!” _

Ed pushed Fatty Arbuckle off of his younger brother and sat up.

“We’re sorry, really,” said Al. “It was Ed’s fault, anyway.”

Ed punched his brother in the arm. “It was not! You’re the one that wanted to try and recreate that scene from that really old movie --”

“Which  _ you _ screwed up --”

“And I don’t know why I was the one on the bottom, you’re so much heavier than me --”

“Brother. You’re missing a leg.”

“You’re still a lot heavier than me!”

“I  _ am _ taller!”

_ “By an inch!” _

“Inch and a half, brother, get it right.”

“Shut up, both of you!” Izumi yelled.

Winry looked over at the woman. If she didn’t already admire her, she definitely did now.

Heavy footfalls came down the stairs behind them, and Winry jumped a little bit, almost landing on Ed. It was Sig. His eyes were dark and he had bags under them. 

“My bedtime was three hours ago,” he growled. “I am going to be driving for four hours tomorrow. If you don’t all  _ shhhhh _ I don’t know what my driving will be like tomorrow.” He turned to Izumi. “Darling, my dearest, love of my life. We’ve talked about this. No cackling after my bedtime.”

Izumi pointed to the broken lamp. “We got that for our wedding, Sig.”

He sighed. “And it’s a miracle it took this long to break. We raised rowdy boys, and we’ve been married for twenty-seven years.”

Izumi’s face melted, and she caressed her husband’s face. “I love you,” she said.

“I love you too. But please,” he put a finger up to his lips,  _ “shhhhhhh.” _

“I’ll come with you, dear,” said Izumi, taking hold of his giant hand. She turned to Ed and Al. “This had better be spotless by tomorrow.”

“Yes, Izumi,” they said in unison. 

Izumi and Sig walked up the stairs. Al stood up and picked Fatty Arbuckle up off of the ground. 

“Mind helping me up?” Ed asked, holding his hand out to Winry. She took it and hauled him to his feet. “Thanks.”

“Of course.”

“‘Scuse me,” said Al, squeezing past Winry to go to the powder room behind them. “Gotta pee.”

“You’re helping me clean this lamp up, Alphonse,” said Ed.

Al shrugged, a sly grin on his face. “You gotta go when you gotta go.” He dropped the cat before closing the bathroom door behind him. 

Ed rolled his eyes. “Al’s abandoned me, yet again. At least it wasn’t for a cat this time.”

“I haven’t,” said Winry. She realized that their hands were still clasped tightly together, and she didn’t ever want to let go.

Neither of them said anything for a very long time. Al still wasn’t out of the bathroom, and Winry didn’t know how long she and Ed had been standing there. 

“Dustpan?” she asked softly, not wanting to break the comfortable silence between them.

“Right over here,” said Ed in the same tone, leading her by the hand to a closet. He opened it and she quickly saw the dustpan with the little brush and grabbed it with her free hand. “Now what?” he asked.

Together, they cleaned up the broken lamp, with Winry sweeping up the shards of glass and porcelain, and Ed tidying up the area where the lamp fell off. Winry threw the pieces into the trash, and picked up the lampshade, inspecting it. “I think I can do something with this,” she said.

Ed looked over at her, his bangs hiding most of his face. “What?”

“I dunno yet, but I have an idea forming.” She snapped her fingers. “Do you remember me talking about my old boss, Garfiel?”

Ed nodded. “When you worked at the car shop?”

“Yeah, that one. He taught me some welding techniques, and I’ve always liked working with metal… Paninya works at the welding lab on campus, maybe I can get in and try something…”

“Don’t you need a liscence for that? To weld?”

“I’d definitely have to go to a trade school for a year, but that’s not that much time. And I’m sure I’d breeze right through it, I do have some experience.”

Ed walked over to her and stood in front of her, his hands at his sides and his golden eyes searching her face. 

“Like, I’m not sure. I’m not sure about anything these days, but I have an inkling. An idea of an idea. And I think…” She shifted so the lampshade was resting on her hip and pulled her phone out. A few moments later, she had scheduled a meeting with her advisor. “I’m going to drop my classes for next semester and work at a mechanic shop.” Her eyes met his, and she wilted a little under his gaze. “Do you… Do you think that’s a good idea?”

He shrugged. “Whatever you do, I’ll be right there with you. I’d follow you into hell if you asked.”

Winry smirked. “I think we’ve already been there.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head, a smile forming on his lips. “You never fail to blow me away, Winry Rockbell. You’ll leave us all behind one day, going onto bigger and brighter things.”

Winry tucked her phone into her back pocket and took Ed’s hand. “How can I leave you behind when you’re the one lighing my way?”

Ed’s face turned into the exact same shade of a ripe tomato. Winry squeezed his hand, her smile turning into a grin. 

“Hey, guys,” said Al behind her. 

If it was possible, Ed’s face turned an even deeper red.

Winry dropped Ed’s hand and spun around to face Al, the shade of her blush rivaling Ed’s. He was leaning on the wall, eating an apple. Where had he gotten one of those? 

He took a big bite, his teeth catching in the apple and he had to re-do the bite. Winry took the opportunity to put the lampshade down and take several steps away from Ed. One of the cats curled up around her legs, its tail wrapping itself around her so she couldn’t move. Al stared at both of them, a sly grin on his face as he continued to eat the apple. He finished and tossed the core to the garbage. It bounced off of the rim and rolled to a stop. An orange tabby emerged out of the shadows and started sniffing it. 

“Oh, hey, Marigold,” said Al. “Is this the first time you’ve seen her, Winry?”

Winry nodded. “Anyway, I should get going. It’s late, and we have to be up early tomorrow.”

Al nodded, ignoring the apple core and the cat that had started to lick it. “See you tomorrow morning,” he said as Winry walked up the stairs. 

“I’m feeling a little tired too,” Winry heard Ed say right before she closed the guest room door behind her. 

She closed it and immediately fell back onto it, her eyes closed, her heart racing. What had happened down there? Something weird was in the air, but Winry didn’t want to put a label on it. 

No. She had let herself feel, let herself imagine. This weekend had been almost heavenly, but now was time for the real world. No more falling asleep with Ed in her arms, no more going to parks with him and getting lost in his laugh. Her hair still smelled a little like his conditioner, or maybe that was her trying to hold onto something. 

She sunk to the floor, her legs stretched out in front of her as she stared at the ceiling, her mind running through everything that had happened in the past several days at a mile a minute. Everything that had to do with Ed. One thing would flash in her mind, then something else would replace it just as quickly. Her mind was a flipbook, flipping through her memories and scenarios faster than she could process them. 

Footsteps came up the stairs, and paused behind the door. “Winry?” Ed’s voice was quiet and soft. “You awake?”

“Yeah,” she said, not moving. 

“I, uh, wanted to wish you a good night.”

“Thanks. You too.”

A few moments later, she heard Ed walk into the other room and close the door behind him. Winry sighed and stood up. She doubted she would be able to sleep tonight; which was unfortunate, because she was never able to fall asleep in cars. 

She quickly changed into her pajamas, tucking her clothes into her bag. She climbed into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin and curled into herself. It wasn’t enough. No matter how she tossed and turned, she could not fall asleep and her eyes would not stay closed. 

_ How can I leave you behind when you’re the one lighting my way? _

Stupid. How had she let that leave her mouth in the first place? It was true, but she didn’t want to let him know that. Not now, at least. 

A knock came at her door. Winry sat up, her hair falling all around her shoulders. Slowly, she got out of bed and opened the door. Ed stood on the other side. His hair was down and rumpled, and he stood there sheepishly. “Hey,” he said. He was leaning against the doorframe, and Winry noticed that his prosthetic leg wasn’t there.

“Hey,” she responded. “What’s up?”

His face flushed. “I can’t sleep, and it’s almost one in the morning. Would it be possible if I, uh…” He shook his head. “Nevermind, forget I said anything. See you --”

“Neither can I.”

He froze. “What?”

“Sleep. If you want to come in, you can.”

“No, I don’t want to bother you --”

“Edward. Get in here and cuddle.”

He blinked. “Okay.”

Together, they lay down, Ed curling around Winry. She brought her legs up to her chest, letting her back rest completely against him. Immediately, as soon as the blankets were settled over them, Winry’s eyes drooped and she fell asleep, Ed’s arm moving in time with her breathing.

* * *

Something had changed. What, Winry wasn’t sure, but there was something else in the air between them. She hadn't been able to shake the feeling since Ed woke her up by leaning over and silencing the alarm on her phone. Together, as if they were joined by the hip, they loaded their bags into Sig’s car and sat in the back -- Winry beating Ed to the spot behind Sig. 

If Al and Mr. Curtis noticed something, they didn’t say anything.

The car ride back to Central was mostly silent, except for the soft jazz Sig had on the radio. Both Ed and Al had their heads back against the headrests, mouths open in exactly the same way. Winry couldn’t help but smile whenever she glanced over at the two brothers.

She almost forgot that Ed’s hand was securely in hers. Almost. 

Al was the first one to be dropped off, and Ed got out of the car to give his little brother a big, long hug. Al even came over to the other side to give Winry a quick hug, before he disappeared into the ancient dorms of Woodside. 

Before long, Winry recognized the road that led back to her apartment building. Her heart started racing, and a thought rang inside her head:  _ I don’t want to go _ . As if sensing her thought, Ed squeezed her hand. 

Sig brought the tiny car to a stop in front of her apartment building, and both Sig and Ed got out. “Thanks for coming,” said Sig, shaking her hand. 

“It was my pleasure,” said Winry. She turned to Ed, who was holding her bag.

Why did it feel like a goodbye? They’d see each other tomorrow, but it was almost like closing a door on something wonderful. Ed handed her the bag. She dropped it on the ground, not caring that the snow would soak right through it and wrapped her arms around Ed’s neck. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Ed’s arms wrapped around her, holding her close. He didn’t say anything, nor did he have to. 

Eventually, Winry started to get a little cold just standing there, so she pulled away and picked her bag up off of the ground. “See you tomorrow?” she asked.

Ed nodded.

Winry turned and started walking to the front door. She turned around, but Ed was already in the car. She sighed, walking inside. 

She went up the three flights of stairs to her apartment. She said hi to her roommates as she entered and went to her room and closed the door behind her. She dropped her only slightly wet bag on her bed and went to her desk. She unlocked the drawer and pulled out her laptop. Almost without thinking, she took her phone out of her pocket and found a picture of her and Ed. It was the one he took at the park. Winry smiled as she looked at it, then opened her browser and started updating her resume.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, funny story, when I published chapter six I went to bed that night thinking "I should have drawn the selfie that they took." I wake up the next day and frantically drew it out, so that's what that was. I'm not planning on having an image with everything, only if the mood strikes me. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!!

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment/kudos if you liked it, and keep an eye out for the next installments. Having just finished chapter three, I cannot _wait_ for you guys to read this when it's done, and I honestly have no idea where it's going so hold on because we're all flying blind here.


End file.
